HC Deb 18 June 1981 vol 6 cc445-8W
Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the reply, Official Report, 7 May, what are the latest available statistics on the total number of persons unemployed, the percentage rate of unemployment, and the number of vacancies in each industrial classification in (a) the Northern region, (b) Durham county and (c) Bishop Auckland parliamentary constituency.

Mr. Peter Morrison

[pursuant to his reply, 16 June 1981]: The following tables give the numbers registered as unemployed and the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at May 1981, analysed by orders of the Standard Industrial Classification. Percentage rates of unemployment by industry could be calculated only at disproportionate cost. The unemployment figures—table 1—relate to the industry in which the unemployed person last worked. The vacancy figures—table 2—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 economy 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number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn during the preceding month, which may reflect activity more closely.

Table 1
Numbers Unemployed at 14 May 1981
Standard Industrial Classification 1968 North Region County of Durham Bishop Auckland Parliamentary Constituency*
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 1,591 346 71
Mining and quarrying 5,620 1,615 40
Food, drink and tobacco 4,195 528 45
Coal and petroleum products 212 30 2
Chemicals and allied industries 3,645 417 166
Metal manufacture 9,788 2.905 88
Mechanical engineering 9,248 2,063 259
Instrument engineering 583 34 5
Electrical engineering 6,101 2,048 596
Shipbuilding and marine engineering 5,333 44 4
Vehicles 1,271 617 212
Metal goods not elsewhere specified 2,383 535 212
Textiles 2,695 823 104
Leather, leather goods and fur 247 60 27
Clothing and footwear 5,183 970 169
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 2,226 431 95
Timber, furniture, etc. 1,667 339 106
Paper, printing and publishing 1,612 204 36
Other manufacturing industries 1,873 324 55
Construction 35,434 5,647 1,051
Gas, electricity and water 646 68 4
Transport and communication 6,883 1,092 201
Distributive trades 15,717 2,521 413
Insurance, banking, finance and business services 2,790 349 63
Professional and scientific services 6,261 1,163 168
Miscellaneous services 17,914 2,443 414
Public administration and defence 9,733 1,798 247
Not elsewhere classified (including school leavers) 30,054 5,555 782
Total, all industries and services 190,905 34,969 5,635
* The Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle and Newton Aycliffe employment office areas.
Table 2
Numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at 8 May 1981
North Region County of Durham Bishop Auckland Parliamentary Constituency*
Standard Industrial Classification 1968 At employments offices At careers offices At employments offices At careers offices At employments offices At careers offices
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 7 1 2 1
Mining and quarrying 5
Food, drink and tobacco 85 52 16 1
Coal and petroleum products
Chemicals and allied industries 58 3 5 4
Metal manufacture 19 1
Mechanical engineering 139 3 14 1 4 1
Instrument engineering 12 2 2
Electrical engineering 64 1 18 2
Shipbuilding and marine engineering 19 1
Vehicles 10 2 2
Metal goods not elsewhere specified 31 2 13 2
Textiles 20 3 11
Leather, leather goods and fur
Clothing and footwear 83 3 23 3
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 23 3 6 4
Timber, furniture, etc. 52 2 13 10
Paper, printing and publishing 67 20 3
Other manufacturing industries 56 4 12
Construction 310 8 51 1 8
Gas, electricity and water 28 5 3
Transport and Communication 100 9 27 1 12
Distributive trades 672 39 133 3 20
Insurance, banking, finance and business services 256 10 44 1 2
Professional and scientific services 456 5 98 18
Miscellaneous services 1,370 35 184 5 34 1
Public administration 824 10 217 1 47
Total, all industries and services 4,766 204 914 13 175 2
* The Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle and Newton Aycliffe employment office areas.