§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of job vacancies in May 1979 in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands; and what is the current number in each area.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 18 March 1981, c. 107]: The following table gives the numbers of vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and at careers offices in the areas specified at May 1979 and February 1981. The figures are not seasonally adjusted. The statistics relate only to those vacancies notified to employment offices and to careers ofices; 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.
polytechnics. The duration of these agreements varies hut the standard length is three years. The annual cost to the defence budget is about £5 million at today's prices. The benefit to defence derived from these agreements lies in the fact that they permit the special expertise and facilities available in particular universities or polytechnics to be applied to the advancement of the Ministry's research and development programmes, notably in areas where the solution of complex fundamental problems might benefit from innovations in theoretical and experimental techniques which are being investigated by the relevant bodies. In all but a very small number of cases the results of research work are unclassified and, subject to the agreement of the Secretary of State for Defence—which is not unreasonably withheld—may be published in accordance with scientific practice. Where classified work is involved, the arrangements for its protection are broadly similar to those which apply in defence industry generally. It would require disproportionate effort to provide further details in the form requested.