HC Deb 23 July 1981 vol 9 cc228-9W
Mr. Jim Callaghan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many job vacancies there were in the inner London area in the years 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981;

(2) how many job vacancies there were in the United Kingdom in the years 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The following is the information at June each year:

Notified vacancies remaining unfilled
Inner London Education Authority area United Kingdom
June each year At employment offices At careers offices At employment offices At careers offices
1978 21,632 6,154 227,890 30,895
1979 23,518 6,905 276,964 37,450
1980 15,344 5,516 165,312 19,560
1981 8,547 1,562 102,999 6,117

The statistics relate only to vacancies 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number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn during the preceding month, which would reflect activity more closely.

For example, during the 12 months ended June 1981 the average number of vacancies notified per month at employment offices in the United Kingdom was over 150,000.