§ 17. Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for unemployment (a) nationally and (b) in the London borough of Newham (i) in May 1979 and (ii) the nearest available date.
§ Mr. AlisonThe unemployment figures are now based on claimants to benefit, and in November 1982 these numbered 3,063,026 in the United Kingdom and 16,548 in the jobcentre areas approximating to the London borough of Newham. The corresponding estimate for the United Kingdom at May 1979 was 1,218,900. A 435W comparable estimate for Newham at May 1979 is not available but on the old basis of the figures the number registered as unemployed in the area at that date was 5,408. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.
§ 18. Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest level of unemployment.
§ 32. Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.
§ Mr. TebbitI refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Batley and Morley (Mr. Woolmer) earlier today.
§ 25. Mr. Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage increase in United Kingdom unemployment since May 1979 compared with France, West Germany, the United States of America, Japan and Holland.
§ Mr. AlisonFollowing is the information:
Percentage increase in seasonally adjusted unmeployment, national definitions, latest month compared with May 1979 Country Latest month per cent. United Kingdom* November 132 France October 52 West Germany November 140 United States November 103 Japan September 27 Netherlands October 179 * New (claimant) basis (excluding school leavers) Source: OECD "Main Economic Indicators"—supplemented by Labour Attache reports etc.
November 1979 Per cent. November 1980 Per cent. November 1981 Per cent. November 1982 Per cent. South East 2.0 3.5 5.4 6.2 East Anglia 2.9 4.4 6.4 7.5 South West 3.8 5.5 7.4 8.2 West Midlands 3.9 6.9 9.7 10.6 East Midlands 2.8 5.0 6.9 7.7 Yorkshire and Humberside 3.9 6.3 8.5 9.6 North West 4.5 7.0 9.3 10.3 North 6.1 8.6 10.9 11.5 Wales 5.6 8.5 10.6 11.4 Scotland 5.9 8.0 9.9 10.8 Northern Ireland 7.7 10.8 12.2 13.0
§ Mr. Radiceasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in the light of the labour force survey for 1981, he will give an estimate of the number of unregistered unemployed in 1981.
§ Mr. AlisonThe 1981 European Community labour force survey estimates that in Great Britain in the second quarter of 1981 400,000 people were seeking work but were not registered as unemployed. Many of these were women seeking part-time work. In addition the survey identified 50,000 people who were not registered as unemployed and were prevented from seeking work by temporary sickness or holiday; such people have not been included in my Department's figures of unregistered unemployment.
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§ 50. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures, nationally and regionally; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonAt 11 November, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,063,026. The comparable regional figures were published in the unemployment press notice issued by my Department on 2 December; a copy is in the House of Commons Library.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Batley and Morley (Mr. Woolmer) earlier today.
§ 51. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are now unemployed; and what is the total by the previous method of calculation.
§ Mr. AlisonAt 11 November, the number of unemployed claimants—new basis—in the United Kingdom was 3,063,026. Figures on the old basis are no longer being compiled.
§ 57. Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the public response to the recent changes in the construction and presentation of the unemployment statistics.
§ Mr. WaddingtonI am satisfied that the public generally are aware that the change of basis for the unemployment statistics was a necessary consequence of the introduction of voluntary registration.
§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the rate of female unemployment in the United Kingdom, region by region; and what were the comparable figures for 1979, 1980 and 1981.
§ Mr. AlisonThe following table gives the percentage rates of unemployment for unemployed female claimants at November each year from 1979.
On the other hand surveys suggest that a proportion of those registered as unemployed may not have been actively looking for work or be concerned about being out of work. Estimates range between 10 and 20 per cent. of the registered unemployed. These survey estimates have a degree of uncertainty reflecting sampling errors and other survey difficulties and are not necessarily representative of the position in 1981.
Estimates of the unregistered unemployed in 1981 taking account of information from the 1981 general household survey and 1981 census of population in addition to that from the labour force survey are currently in preparation and will be published in the February 437W edition of the Employment Gazette. These estimates are not expected to differ substantially from the figures in the 1981 labour force survey.
§ Mr. Radiceasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give an estimate of registered non-claimants included in the unemployment count for each month since May 1979.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information requested is contained in the following table. Since 1981, the number of non-claimants in the summer months has been higher because new school leavers are not entitled to benefit until September. Under the new system of counting the unemployed a special count of non-claimant school leavers registered at careers offices will be made in June, July and August.
Non-claimants registered as unemployed, United Kingdom* Thousand 1979 1980 1981 1982 January — 83.3 105.1 113.6 February — 85.9 106.6 114.6 March — 87.7 106.6 113.1 April — 88.5 106.7 130.8 May 74.5 88.3 108.1 115.3 June 102.6 126.5 234.5 229.0 July 106.8 132.8 312.5 318.4 August 100.4 124.1 303.0 333.8 September 92.7 115.9 228.6 250.1 October 90.7 112.3 142.3 161.2 November 86.8 110.3 126.6 — December 84.3 105.6 119.6 — * Includes estimates for Northern Ireland prior to 1981.