§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Employment how the Manpower Services Commission determines its financial priorities when assessing what funds should be used for the support of apprenticeship training as compared with moneys to be allocated for the support of unemployed young people via the youth opportunities programme.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Unfilled Vacancies Number unemployed Percentage rate of unemployment At employment offices At careers offices Workington travel-to-work area 4,695 15.0 99 14 Cumbria 20,739 10.6 829 87 South-East 583,968 7.7 39,066 3,305 East Anglia 63,732 8.8 3,573 228 South-West 159,792 9.5 8,176 283 West Midlands 305,650 13.2 5,737 643 East Midlands 168,043 10.3 6,402 257 Yorkshire and Humberside 250,978 11.9 6,178 384 North-West 386,144 13.5 9,397 274 North 202,684 14.9 4,597 197 The vacancy statistics relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices—vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.
The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn during the preceding month, which would reflect activity more closely.