§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is able to discern particular trends and patterns in the unemployment situation in the Greater London area which differ from the rest of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981, c. 305]: The upturn in United Kingdom unemployment that became evident in September 1979 did not become apparent in Greater London until December 1979. Since then unemployment has increased marginally faster in Greater London than in the rest of the United Kingdom, the difference being entirely due to a faster increase in female unemployment. Male unemployment in Greater London and the rest of the United Kingdom has increased at about the same rate. However, the unemployment rate in Greater London, at 6.8 per cent. in March 1981, remains substantially below the United Kingdom rate of 10.3 per cent.