§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the current percentages 518W and numbers of the potential working population unemployed, based on the method of calculating unemployment prior to the recent changes; how this compares with the equivalent figures based on the current method of calculating unemployment; what steps he is taking to monitor the relationship between the two figures and the effectiveness of the present method of calculating unemployment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonAt 14 October the number of unemployed people on the new basis—claimants—was 3,049,008 and the unemployment rate was 13.1 per cent. The corresponding figures on the old basis—registrations—were 3,295,128 and 13.8 per cent. respectively. The rates are based on the estimated number of employees—employed and unemployed—which differs from the working population in that it excludes members of Her Majesty's Forces and the self-employed.
It is not possible to estimate what the figures after October would have been on the old basis. For this reason a back series, to January 1971, of figures on the new basis has been prepared and will be published in the December issue of the Employment Gazette. Estimates of those people seeking work but not claiming benefit will be made, in a similar way that estimates of the unregistered unemployed have been made in the past.
§ Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of female unemployment in Accrington and north-east Lancashire; and what was the last figure under the former registration system.
§ Mr. WaddingtonAt 11 November the numbers of female unemployed claimants in the Accrington employment office area and in north-east Lancashire were 919 and 8,010 respectively. At 14 October, the last date for which statistics are available on the old basis, there were 1,270 females registered as unemployed in the Accrington employment office area, and 10,059 in northeast Lancashire.
§ Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in female unemployment in Accrington and north-east Lancashire since May 1979.
§ Mr. WaddingtonBetween May 1979 and October 1982 the number of females registered as unemployed in the Accrington jobcentre area and in north-east Lancashire increased by 275.7 per cent. and 215.9 per cent. respectively. The count is now on the new basis, and between October and November 1982 the numbers of female unemployed claimants decreased by 3.1 per cent. in the Accrington jobcentre area and by 2.6 per cent. in north-east Lancashire.
§ Mr. Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number unemployed by order of the Standard Industrial Classification and the number of vacancies in each region of the United Kingdom in October 1982.
§ Mr. Alison[pursuant to his reply, 2 December 1982, c. 254]: The following table gives for May 1982, the last date for which an industrial analysis was made, the numbers of people registered as unemployed in each region of the United Kingdom who last worked in the industries specified. It also gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers 519W offices at May 1982 and August 1982, analysed by the Standard Industrial Classification orders. The vacancy figures 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 economy 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
South East Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8,240 228 65 231 27 Mining and quarrying 1,023 27 2 29 1 Food, drink and tobacco 14,124 515 79 434 24 Coal and petroleum products 1,642 29 1 20 1 Chemicals and allied industries 8,604 444 52 442 46 Metal manufacture 4,009 124 17 117 10 Mechanical engineering 18,971 1,217 146 1,168 95 Instrument engineering 3,853 448 30 397 24 Electrical engineering 19,646 1,450 196 1,553 143 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 2,736 64 8 48 5 Vehicles 13,776 308 32 333 12 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 13,108 642 89 650 35 Textiles 2,622 103 14 95 6 Leather, leather goods and fur 1,104 97 4 58 4 Clothing and footwear 10,382 1,237 94 1,099 48 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 4,250 147 11 152 10 Timber, furniture, etc. 8,795 393 50 366 49 Paper, printing and publishing 15,328 701 96 582 54 Other manufacturing industries 10,649 567 66 419 31 Construction 87,114 2,761 236 3,238 137 Gas, electricity and water 3,982 147 22 132 36 Transport and communication 38,555 1,746 239 1,407 74 Distributive trades 76,706 7,942 1,168 7,477 578 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 27,439 3,655 423 3,651 222 Professional and scientific services 31,905 4,429 349 3,835 232 Miscellaneous services 85,391 13,032 802 11,455 447 Public administration and defence 31,429 2,794 256 2,739 164 Not classified by industry (including School leavers) 140,474 — — — — Total 685,857 45,247 4,547 42,127 2,515
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East Anglia Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4,594 63 12 88 5 Mining and quarrying 171 26 — 9 — Food, drink and tobacco 5,420 95 5 151 4 Coal and petroleum products 46 1 — — — Chemicals and allied industries 815 24 1 28 7 Metal manufacture 252 6 1 9 1 Mechanical engineering 2,901 171 2 110 10 Instrument engineering 278 21 1 23 — Electrical engineering 2,113 82 10 67 8 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 329 54 — 8 4 Vehicles 1,937 24 — 26 — Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 986 72 4 54 2 Textiles 385 7 5 4 1 Leather, leather goods and fur 96 1 2 5 — Clothing and footwear 967 36 12 30 8 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 619 15 1 17 2 Timber, furniture, etc. 1,041 63 2 71 4 Paper, printing and publishing 1,211 62 5 63 4 Other manufacturing industries 1,361 50 4 41 2 Construction 8,054 266 6 345 10 Gas, electricity and water 447 24 1 14 9 Transport and communication 3,228 150 6 124 16 Distributive trades 7,147 714 78 632 44 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 12-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.
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Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Insurance, banking, finance and business services 1,634 261 19 237 16 Professional and scientific services 3,146 377 11 403 18 Miscellaneous services 8,301 1,297 45 1,118 24 Public administration and defence 3,028 295 — 293 10 Not classified by industry (including School leavers) 12,334 — — — — Total 72,841 4,257 233 3,970 209
South West Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4,543 78 26 78 18 Mining and quarrying 1,026 26 — 16 1 Food, drink and tobacco 5,595 224 15 158 11 Coal and petroleum products 175 1 1 1 — Chemicals and allied industries 1,490 44 10 48 3 Metal manufacture 1,027 21 10 20 4 Mechanical engineering 6,086 313 29 320 18 Instrument engineering 928 62 6 41 1 Electrical engineering 4,420 228 19 199 9 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 1,184 58 4 99 11 Vehicles 3,219 85 1 71 6 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 2,738 143 23 100 5 Textiles 1,125 26 8 25 11 Leather, leather goods and fur 400 8 2 10 — Clothing and footwear 1,982 121 51 142 6 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 922 28 2 19 1 Timber, furniture, etc. 2,178 118 19 121 5 Paper, printing and publishing 3,013 107 12 104 3 Other manufacturing industries 2,416 164 14 110 15 Construction 21,409 790 62 761 25 Gas, electricity and water 1,459 58 4 40 — Transport and communication 8,179 434 11 178 3 Distributive trades 20,225 1,746 204 1,877 75 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 4,405 627 41 524 14 Professional and scientific services 9,029 1,155 38 1,240 26 Miscellaneous services 26,213 3,950 153 2,817 61 Public administration and defence 9,514 903 23 734 13 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 30,198 — — — — Total 175,098 11,518 788 9,854 345
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West Midlands Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3,453 22 13 30 14 Mining and quarrying 2,918 9 1 11 2 Food, drink and tobacco 7,095 152 10 116 9 Coal and petroleum products 155 2 — 4 — Chemicals and allied industries 2,340 75 2 39 15 Metal manufacture 15,048 87 15 99 19 Mechanical engineering 14,122 262 27 313 34 Instrument engineering 651 67 6 50 4 Electrical engineering 8,968 148 21 172 21 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 166 4 1 6 1 Vehicles 26,107 101 11 102 4 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 38,771 386 45 309 45 Textiles 3,192 35 4 34 7 Leather, leather goods and fur 674 13 1 10 2 Clothing and footwear 2,893 128 13 119 10 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 9,295 88 9 102 10 Timber, furniture, etc. 2,667 75 9 75 7 Paper, printing and publishing 2,755 59 10 87 12 Other manufacturing industries 6,675 116 7 114 5 Construction 34,151 446 36 516 50
Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Gas, electricity and water 1,376 51 5 30 4 Transport and communication 9,527 209 16 174 6 Distributive trades 29,234 1,178 143 1,233 124 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 5,516 439 30 417 36 Professional and scientific services 9,933 560 35 579 43 Miscellaneous services 27,859 1,869 90 1,611 73 Public administration and defence 10,205 646 16 629 47 Not classified by industry (including School leavers) 67,705 — — — — Total 343,451 7,227 576 6,981 604
East Midlands Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4,384 49 10 87 13 Mining and quarrying 7,531 26 29 25 1 Food, drink and tobacco 5,749 161 17 137 11 Coal and petroleum products 233 5 — 5 — Chemicals and allied industries 2,206 72 7 72 8 Metal manufacture 5,905 40 15 27 5 Mechanical engineering 9,631 320 32 296 39 Instrument engineering 313 28 2 30 3 Electrical engineering 3,244 159 6 130 9 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 173 3 — — — Vehicles 4,666 44 6 40 4 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 3,680 103 13 94 15 Textiles 9,475 509 87 499 67 Leather, leather goods and fur 539 15 4 14 1 Clothing and footwear 4,696 346 32 295 26 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 1,528 61 1 35 7 Timber, furniture, etc. 1,898 109 7 84 11 Paper, printing and publishing 2,166 97 25 75 16 Other manufacturing industries 2,886 212 7 112 16 Construction 20,071 403 28 476 33 Gas, electricity and water 774 36 7 41 2 Transport and communication 6,135 228 7 242 9 Distributive trades 15,514 1,246 127 933 45 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 2,955 432 38 383 20 Professional and scientific services 5,680 517 27 555 17 Miscellaneous services 15,746 2,099 48 1,472 44 Public administration and defence 6,479 722 12 635 3 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 31,388 — — — — Total 175,645 8,042 594 6,794 425
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Yorkshire and Humberside Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5,020 43 9 29 8 Mining and quarrying 8,328 18 3 6 1 Food, drink and tobacco 9,877 184 21 189 16 Coal and petroleum products 740 4 — 3 — Chemicals and allied industries 3,700 70 1 55 12 Metal manufacture 15,174 44 2 31 6 Mechanical engineering 10,123 284 23 238 13 Instrument engineering 389 16 1 14 1 Electrical engineering 2,970 114 12 84 7 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 740 2 2 4 — Vehicles 5,077 58 1 55 2 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 9,295 141 22 93 5 Textiles 11,339 120 20 105 14 Leather, leather goods and fur 539 16 2 13 — Clothing and footwear 5,626 187 11 155 10 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 2,959 39 4 37 4 Timber, furniture, etc. 3,670 103 9 116 8
Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Paper, printing and publishing 2,995 106 17 62 5 Other manufacturing industries 2,439 79 9 50 7 Construction 33,196 632 27 598 38 Gas, electricity and water 1,041 44 6 57 2 Transport and communication 9,797 223 12 181 11 Distributive trades 25,490 1,378 109 1,181 83 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 3,781 507 42 469 21 Professional and scientific services 8,724 708 39 669 24 Miscellaneous services 23,941 1,941 81 1,622 63 Public administration and defence 10,770 793 15 775 38 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 54,114 — — — — Total 271,854 7,854 500 6,891 399
North West Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2,446 37 9 19 10 Mining and quarrying 1,729 8 — 7 — Food, drink and tobacco 14,317 160 4 130 9 Coal and petroleum products 1,097 6 1 7 — Chemicals and allied industries 9,679 184 4 179 7 Metal manufacture 4,077 35 4 44 — Mechanical engineering 16,176 251 10 221 8 Instrument engineering 740 28 4 25 2 Electrical engineering 9,875 147 7 175 9 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 1,875 7 1 8 — Vehicles 10,437 66 2 45 2 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 9,286 191 11 117 3 Textiles 17,540 166 10 178 14 Leather, leather goods and fur 1,165 14 1 15 — Clothing and footwear 8,236 338 30 315 26 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 4,958 304 1 182 4 Timber, furniture, etc. 5,897 117 8 119 7 Paper, printing and publishing 7,784 118 17 110 6 Other manufacturing industries 7,296 126 9 121 2 Construction 52,384 721 25 862 37 Gas, electricity and water 1,597 65 3 67 8 Transport and communication 20,168 362 12 208 5 Distributive trades 46,462 1,936 113 1,800 68 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 8,201 545 34 537 25 Professional and scientific services 14,250 1,108 22 999 21 Miscellaneous services 43,354 3,663 62 2,560 35 Public administration and defence 18,441 1,021 9 955 33 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 86,184 — — — — Total 425,651 11,724 413 10,005 341
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North Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1,925 22 4 15 4 Mining and quarrying 6,664 26 1 3 — Food, drink and tobacco 4,686 71 9 116 11 Coal and petroleum products 218 1 1 — 1 Chemicals and allied industries 4,377 135 32 57 6 Metal manufacture 10,497 17 — 27 2 Mechanical engineering 8,915 176 7 126 3 Instrument engineering 418 18 — 22 1 Electrical engineering 5,514 74 12 59 11 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 5,147 37 1 15 — Vehicles 1,577 13 1 7 1 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 2,346 52 3 46 — Textiles 2,393 30 — 23 5 Leather, leather goods and fur 218 1 2 — 1
Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Clothing and footwear 4,180 143 21 180 6 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 2,333 23 3 23 3 Timber, furniture, etc. 2,127 44 3 45 3 Paper, printing and publishing 1,863 55 3 51 2 Other manufacturing industries 2,182 70 7 27 5 Construction 35,042 540 17 462 20 Gas, electricity and water 944 48 2 36 5 Transport and communication 7,220 95 3 97 1 Distributive trades 18,300 769 61 737 46 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 3,324 252 12 233 8 Professional and scientific services 7,351 579 12 554 23 Miscellaneous services 21,078 1,464 47 1,346 27 Public administration and defence 11,545 751 38 658 8 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 40,731 — — — — Total 213,115 5,506 302 4,965 203
Wales Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2,238 32 9 70 7 Mining and quarrying 2,822 20 — 17 — Food, drink and tobacco 3,431 84 6 73 4 Coal and petroleum products 437 7 — 9 — Chemicals and allied industries 2,095 47 4 75 1 Metal manufacture 11,473 23 1 37 6 Mechanical engineering 3,819 98 4 121 2 Instrument engineering 310 13 1 8 5 Electrical engineering 3,256 118 3 114 3 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 316 5 1 1 1 Vehicles 2,807 73 1 48 1 Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 4,051 106 3 122 9 Textiles 1,688 47 1 39 3 Leather, leather goods and fur 157 8 1 6 2 Clothing and footwear 2,039 99 11 71 11 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 963 29 — 27 — Timber, furniture, etc. 1,715 63 2 70 3 Paper, printing and publishing 1,480 74 2 71 8 Other manufacturing industries 3,557 60 3 62 1 Construction 28,412 416 13 439 19 Gas, electricity and water 720 38 5 43 — Transport and communication 6,268 129 3 97 7 Distributive trades 14,789 879 48 795 42 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 2,415 339 6 307 7 Professional and scientific services 6,624 697 8 644 8 Miscellaneous services 15,496 2,660 29 1,436 25 Public administration and defence 8,952 693 6 693 7 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 35,914 — — — — Total 168,244 6,857 171 5,495 182
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Scotland Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6,516 66 12 69 4 Mining and quarrying 5,392 48 — 43 2 Food, drink and tobacco 12,328 471 26 624 20 Coal and petroleum products 330 3 — 10 — Chemicals and allied industries 3,082 101 — 134 9 Metal manufacture 5,279 69 1 54 5 Mechanical engineering 10,172 392 9 409 4 Instrument engineering 1,247 65 3 78 1 Electrical engineering 5,433 378 9 396 10 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 3,427 94 — 185 101 Vehicles 6,317 18 — 22 —
Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at Jobcentres at careers offices Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 4,422 159 — 144 2 Textiles 8,194 233 8 234 6 Leather, leather goods and fur 577 26 2 14 1 Clothing and footwear 5,080 282 35 284 3 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 2,435 21 — 36 1 Timber, furniture, etc. 2,548 79 5 80 10 Paper, printing and publishing 3,540 65 16 58 5 Other manufacturing industries 2,502 87 4 95 3 Construction 46,521 1,388 31 1,573 22 Gas, electricity and water 1,111 59 43 66 16 Transport and communication 12,707 327 10 281 8 Distributive trades 31,823 1,802 66 1,832 65 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 5,327 610 11 660 10 Professional and scientific services 13,968 1,546 12 1,750 18 Miscellaneous services 34,801 3,280 59 2,872 42 Public administration and defence 20,368 2,500 28 1,869 40 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 69,262 — — — — Total 324,709 14,169 390 13,872 408
Northern Ireland Unemployed Unfilled Vacancies May 1982 May 1982 August 1982 at jobcentres at careers offices at jobcentres at careers offices Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2,947 5 10 10 7 Mining and quarrying 381 4 1 2 — Food, drink and tobacco 3,982 14 9 9 4 Coal and petroleum products 45 — — — — Chemicals and allied industries 390 4 — 3 — Metal manufacture 225 1 1 2 — Mechanical engineering 2,090 17 2 12 — Instrument engineering 93 4 1 2 — Electrical engineering 1,679 9 1 13 1 Shipbuilding and marine engineering 920 — — — — Vehicles 1,788 11 — 7 — Metal goods (not elsewhere specified) 904 17 2 4 1 Textiles 5,710 8 3 10 10 Leather, leather goods and fur 91 1 2 — 1 Clothing and footwear 3,590 20 2 33 11 Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 710 4 — 4 — Timber, furniture, etc. 774 5 4 14 5 Paper, printing and publishing 736 13 2 7 2 Other manufacturing industries 871 5 — 4 1 Construction 22,882 96 21 112 18 Gas, electricity and water 403 3 2 4 — Transport and communication 3,008 27 4 10 4 Distributive trades 9,667 107 38 121 47 Insurance, banking, finance and business services 1,777 56 4 52 2 Professional and scientific services 5,332 77 6 69 8 Miscellaneous services 8,472 186 41 221 34 Public administration and defence 6,078 243 14 354 6 Not classified by industry (including school leavers) 27,433 — — — — Total 112,978 937 170 1,079 162