§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the annual average duration of unemployment in each of the past 10 years in Scotland and if he will provide a similar breakdown for Dundee.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe information is not available in the precise form requested. The following table gives the median lengths of time spent on the unemployment register by persons who were still employed on the date of the count in July of each year since 1971.
Year Median lengths of time (in weeks) registered as unemployed July 1971 13.1 1972 17.7 1973 20.3 1974 12.3 1975 10.2 1976 12.7 1977 14.8 1978 17.0 1979 18.5 1980 16.7 Comparable information for Dundee is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the average duration of unemployment in Scotland in the latest available year amongst the following age groups: (a) under 18 years, (b) 18 to 25 years, (c) 25 to 40 years, (d) 40 to 55 years and (e) over 55 years.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe information is not available in the precise form518W requested. An analysis of the unemployment register by age and duration of unemployment is carried out quarterly, and the following table gives the median lengths of time spent on the unemployment register by persons in Scotland who were still unemployed on 11 October 1979 and 10 April 1980 for the age groups specified, months in which the analysis are not distorted by the influx of school leavers.
MEDIAN LENGTHS OF TIME (IN WEEKS) REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED Age group 11 October 1979 10 April 1979 Under 18 10.9 11.4 18–24 14.8 17.9 25–44 21.2 21.9 45–54 36.9 32.1 Over 55 54.9 45.8