§ Mr. Knox asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of job vacancies in the Leek parliamentary constituency as notified to him by the local jobcenters at the most recent count; and what are the comparable figures for 1975 and 1970.
§ Mr. Peter Morrison:164 job vacancies were notified to the employment offices and jobcenters of the Manpower Services Commission in the Leek parliamentary constituency in the 4-week period ending 4 September 1981. Comparable figures for 1975 and 1970 were 211 and 180 respectively.
There are likely to have been a substantial number of vacancies in the area not notified to the employment offices and jobcenters. Nationally, the commission has estimated from a 1977 survey that about a third of vacancies are notified to it.