HC Deb 17 July 1981 vol 8 cc487-8W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the industries in (a) the North-West, (b) Merseyside, (c) the Ormskirk travel-to-work area and (d) Kirkby, in which there have been increases in unemployment since May 1979; and what was the percentage increase.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The following table gives the percentage increases between May 1979 and May 1981 in the numbers registered as unemployed in the North-West region and the Merseyside special development area. The figures are analysed according to the industry orders of the standard industrial classification in which the unemployed person last worked. The extra work involved in calculating corresponding increases for the Ormskirk travel-to-work area and for Kirkby could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

Percentage increase in the numbers registered as unemployed between May 1979 and May 1981
North-West Region Merseyside Special Development Area
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 74.9 35.4
Mining and quarrying 16.1 22.1
Food, drink and tobacco 67.5 49.5
Coal and petroleum products 54.0 44.5
Chemicals and allied industries 113.0 69.1
Metal manufacture 115.5 103.0
Mechanical engineering 194.5 122.0
Instrument engineering 89.5 3.9
Electrical engineering 136.5 24.3
Shipbuilding and marine engineering 38.7 29.8
Vehicles 145.5 33.4
Metal goods not elsewhere specified 124.8 54.7
Textiles 184.0 27.2
Leather, leather goods and fur 54.9 13.3
Clothing and footwear 149.6 52.2
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 108.9 35.7
North-West Region Merseyside Special Development Area
Timber, furniture, etc. 123.4 61.0
Paper, printing and publishing 173.6 167.7
Other manufacturing industries 70.2 0.2
Construction 124.7 73.7
Gas, electricity and water 29.1 34.2
Transport and communication 90.0 71.5
Distributive trades 89.2 46.6
Insurance, banking, finance and business services 94.6 47.4
Professional and scientific services 76.0 49.7
Miscellaneous services 89.6 52.1
Public administration and defence 51.1 31.6
Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 51.7 20.5
Total 92.2 46.2