§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average percentage unemployment rate in Wales and the North of England for each of the last 10 years and during the current year.
§ Mr. AlisonThe following table gives for Wales and the North region the annual average percentage rates of unemployment from 1972 to 1981 and the averages for the first quarter of 1982.
Wales per cent. North region per cent. 1972 4.8 6.3 1973 3.4 4.7 1974 *3.7 *4.6 1975 5.6 5.9 1976 7.3 7.5 1977 8.0 8.3 1978 8.3 8.9 1979 7.9 8.7 1980 10.3 10.9 1981 14.8 15.3 1982 January to March 16.3 16.3 * Average of 11 months.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons unemployed, the percentage rate of unemployment, and the total number of vacancies for (a) the Workington travel-to-work area and (b) Cumbria at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. AlisonAt 11 March the number of people registered as unemployed in the Workington travel-to-work area was 5,375 and the unemployment rate was 17.1 per cent. The corresponding figures for Cumbria were 22,507 and 11.5 per cent.
At 5 March the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and careers offices in the Workington travel-to-work area were 147 and 8, respectively. The figures for Cumbria were 1,452 at employment offices and 72 at careers offices. 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. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies 23W being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to March 1982, 10,544 people were placed in jobs by employment offices in Cumbria. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the unemployment figures for the county of Cumbria, categorised by sex, age and the duration of unemployment, for the last month for which statistics are available.
§ Mr. AlisonThe numbers registered as unemployed are analysed by age and by duration of unemployment quarterly and there are no later figures than those for January 1982, which were given to the hon. Member in my reply to his question on 5 March 1982.—[Vol. 19, c.57.]