§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the average number of males and females registered as unemployed for the past five years and what these figures represent in total and percentage terms in Hull, Stoke and the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 13 February 1980, Vol. 978, c. 449]: The following table gives the available information for the Hull employment office area, for Stoke (taken as the employment office areas of Stoke, Burslem, Hanley and Longton), and for the United Kingdom. Percentage rates of unemployment are calculated only for the whole of a travel-to-work area and not separately for its constituent parts. Hull and Stoke form only parts of their respective travel-to-work areas and the monthly average rates of unemployment shown in the table are for these wider areas. They are readily available only from 1976.
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Hull Stoke United Kingdom Monthly overages Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total 1975— Number … … … … 9,068 1,581 10,649 3,088 592 3,680 777,075 200,520 977,595 Per cent. … … … … .. .. .. .. .. .. 5.5 2.1 4.1 1976— Number … … … … 10,309 2,510 12,819 4,011 1,093 5,104 1,025,057 332,503 1,357,560 Per cent. … … … … 10.1 4.3 8.0 5.0 2.0 3.9 7.1 3.5 5.7 1977— Number … … … … 9,745 2,987 12,732 4,013 1,341 5,354 1,069,241 414,341 1,483,582 Per cent. … … … … 10.4 5.2 8.3 5.2 2.6 4.1 7.4 4.3 6.2 1978— Number … … … … 9,910 3,346 13,256 4,051 1,387 5,438 1,040,188 434,847 1,475,035 Per cent. … … … … 10.6 5.7 8.8 5.0 2.6 4.0 7.2 4.4 6.1 1979— Number … … … … 9,089 3,512 12,601 4,439 1,592 6,031 963,928 426,527 1,390,455 Per cent. … … … … 9.7 6.1 8.3 5.5 2.9 4.4 6.8 4.3 5.7 For 1975 the averages for Hull and Stoke are of 11 months and for 1976, for all areas, they are of 10 months
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of registered unemployed under 21 years in the borough of Walsall; how long they have been unemployed; and what action he intends to take to reduce the amount of youth unemployment in the Black Country districts of the West Midlands.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 13 February 1980, c. 449]: Information for the precise age range is not available. The following is the information at 10 January for those aged under 20 years for the area covered by the Walsall, Brownhills, Darlaston and Willenhall employment offices, which closely corresponds to the Borough of Walsall. Youth unemployment in the West Midlands and elsewhere will only be reduced when general unemployment is reduced, and the Government's economic policies are designed to achieve this. Meanwhile the youth opportunities programme continues to provide temporary work experience and training for the young unemployed, and has succeeded in helping 7 out of 10 former trainees find jobs immediately on completing their training.
One week or less 68 Over 1 and up to 2 weeks 87 Over 2 and up to 4 weeks 99 Over 4 and up to 6 weeks 103 Over 6 and up to 8 weeks 106 Over 8 and up to 13 weeks 161 Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 268 Over 26 and up to 39 weeks 181 Over 39 and up to 52 weeks 53 Over 52 and up to 65 weeks 26 Over 65 and up to 78 weeks 13 Over 78 and up to 104 weeks 15 Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 5 Over 156 weeks — Total 1,185