HC Deb 06 December 1982 vol 33 cc378-9W
Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of school leavers were unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area (a) at the latest date and (b) in 1979.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1982, c. 33]: Percentage rates of unemployment for school leavers are not calculated. At November 1979 there were 3,713 school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed (old basis) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area. At November 1982, the number of unemployed school leavers under 18 claiming benefit (new basis) in the area was 4,246.

The figures at October 1982 on the old and on the new basis were 5,485 and 4,815 respectively. The difference between the two October figures would not be applicable to other months.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many and what percentage of males between 16 and 64 years were unemployed in (a) the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) nationally at the latest date and in May 1979;

(2) how many and what percentage of females were unemployed between the age of 16 and 59 years (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) nationally at the latest date and in May 1979.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1982, c. 33]: Percentage rates of unemployment by age are not calculated for local areas. The following table gives the available information at April 1979 and October 1982.

Registered unemployed
Males aged under 65 years Females aged under 60 years
Number Percentage rate Number Percentage rate
October 1982 69,800 26,445
United Kingdom
April 1979 956,585 6.8 380,095 4.0
October 1982 2,314,486 16.6 973,775 10.5

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were unemployed at the latest date (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) nationally; and how many had been unemployed for more than one year.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1982, c. 33]: At 14 October, 96,475 people were registered as unemployed (old basis) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area of whom 46,630 were unemployed for over 52 weeks. The corresponding numbers for the United Kingdom were 3,295,128 and 1,169,558.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of job vacancies (a) nationally and (b) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest available date and in May 1979.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1982, c. 33]: At November 1982 there were 111,112 notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and 5,349 at careers offices in the United Kingdom compared with 267,916 and 41,265, respectively, at May 1979. The corresponding figures for the Liverpool travel-to-work area were 1,911 at jobcentres and seven at careers offices at November 1982 compared with 2,406 and 71, respectively, at May 1979. The figures are not seasonally adjusted and they relate only to vacancies notified to jobcentres and careers offices; vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole.

Because of possible duplication the figures for jobcentres 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 being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the twelve-month period to September 1982, 1,497,584 people were placed in jobs by jobcentres and 141,155 by careers offices in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.