§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many small firms benefited from the small firms employment subsidy in the Keighley travel-to-work area; and how many jobs were supported.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonSeventy firms within the area covered by the Keighley employment office were approved for payment of small firms employment subsidy. Up to February 1981, when final payments were being made under the scheme, 755 jobs had been supported.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what action the Government are taking to reduce the level of unemployment in the Keighley travel-to-work area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonA reduction in unemployment in Keighley, as in the country as a whole, will depend primarily on the ability of firms to produce goods and services which people in this country and abroad want to448W buy and at prices they are prepared to pay. The Government's policies are aimed at reducing inflation and developing a sound and competitive economy which will help such firms to create the jobs we all want to see.
Meanwhile, Keighley will continue to benefit from the Government's programme of special employment measures. At present over 500 jobs are being protected through the temporary short time working compensation scheme in the area, and since 1 April 1981 nearly 1,500 young people have entered the youth opportunities programme in the Bradford local authority area.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in unemployment in the Keighley travel-to-work area since May 1979 to the most recent practicable date.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonBetween May 1979 and November 1981 the numbers registered as unemployed in the Keighley employment office area increased by 182.5 per cent. The figures on which the increase is based include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons have been unemployed for (a) more than 12 months and (b) more than two years in the Keighley travel-to-work area.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe following is the information at 8 October for the Keighley employment office area. The figures do not include young people registered at the Keighley branch careers office for whom a separate analysis by duration of unemployment is not available.
Number Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 684 Over 104 weeks 276
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons aged (a) 16 to 18 years, (b) 18 to 25 years, (c) 25 to 40 years and (d) 40 to 65 years are unemployed in the Keighley travel-to-work area.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe following is the information at 8 October for the Keighley employment office area for the age ranges nearest to those specified.
Age Number Under 18 years *8 18 to 24 years 959 25 to 44 years 1,436 45 years and over 1,133 * This figure does not include 432 young people registered at the Keighley branch careers office for whom a separate age analysis is not available. It is likely, however, that most are under 18 years of age.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many potentially redundant employees were being supported under the temporary short time working compensation scheme in the Keighley employment office area in November 1981.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe figures for November are not yet available. However, the number of potentially redundant employees covered by applications current under the temporary short time working compensation scheme in October 1981 in the Keighley employment office area was 531.
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§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies currently are notified for the Keighley travel-to-work area.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThere are no comprehensive statistics of redundancies. The number of redundancies in the Keighley travel-to-work area, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in October 1981 is 129, with a further 30 impending in later months.