HC Deb 01 February 1982 vol 17 cc52-4W
Mr. Hordern

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the percentage change in unemployment for each of the latest 12 comparable months in the United States of America, France, and West Germany.

Mr. Alison

Seasonally-adjusted changes in unemployment for each of the twelve months to December 1981 are given below. Changes between two individual months can be misleading because of erratic fluctuations in monthly figures.

In December 1981, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates were 8.9 per cent. in the United States of America, 9.9 per cent. in France and 7.1 per cent. (estimated) in West Germany. The percentage rates, and changes in rates, are not directly comparable because of national differences in concepts and coverage of unemployment.

Unemployment, seasonally-adjusted: national definitions
Percentage change since Change in percentage rate
previous month since previous month
1981 USA France Germany USA France Germany
(Fr) (Fr)
January +0.8 +3.2 +2.0 — +0.3 +0.1
February –1.2 +2.8 +1.2 –0.1 +0.2 —
March +0.1 +3.5 +5.6 — +0.3 +0.3
April –0.2 +3.7 +0.3 — +0.3 —
May –5.5 +4.1 +4.2 +0.3 +0.4 +0.2
June –4.7 +1.7 +2.9 –0.3 +0.2 +0.2
July –3.6 +1.3 +6.1 –0.3 +0.1 +0.3
August +2.1 –0.5 +3.0 +0.2 — +0.1
September +4.0 –1.5 +1.3 +0.3 –0.2 +0.1
October +7.0 +0.3 +4.9 +0.5 –0.1 +0.3
November +5.7 +1.5 *+5.4 +0.4 +0.1 *+0.3
December +5.1 +1.4 *+8.4 +0.5 +0.1 *+0.6

Source

OECD 'Main economic indicators', supplemented by labour attaché reports, etc.

* Estimated.

Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage unemployment rate for the United Kingdom and for the European Economic Community as a whole (a) at the time of the United Kingdom's entry to the European Economic Community and (b) at the latest available date.

Mr. Alison

The unemployment rates for December 1972 and December 1981, the latest available common date, are given below. They are not directly comparable because of national differences in concepts and coverage of unemployment.

United Kingdom December 1972 December 1981
United Kingdom
(i) UK basis (a) 3.4 12.2
(ii) EC basis (b) 3.1 11.3
European Community(EC)
excluding Greece, (b) 2.8 9.2

  1. (a) registered unemployed as a percentage of total employees.
  2. (b) registered unemployed as a percentage of the civilian working population.

Source

Eurostat publications 'Employment and unemployment 1972 to 1978' and 'Unemployment monthly bulletin, December 1981'.

Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in registered unemployed in the United Kingdom between the time of entry to the European Economic Community and the latest available date.

Mr. Alison

Between January 1973 and January 1982 the numbers registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom increased by 281 per cent. Between December 1972 and December 1981, the increase was 277 per cent.

Mr. Robert C. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present number of construction workers unemployed in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) Tyne and Wear county; and what percentage of such workers this represents.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to the reply, 26 January 1982, c. 331]: At August 1981, the latest date for which information is available, the numbers of people registered as unemployed in Newcastle upon Tyne and in the Tyne and Wear county who last worked in the construction industry were 3,721 and 13,753, respectively. The figure for Newcastle upon Tyne relates to the area covered by the Newcastle upon Tyne, Newburn and Walker employment offices.

Rates of unemployment are calculated only for complete travel-to-work areas and the rate for the construction industry in the North Tyne travel-to-work area at August 1981 was 26.9 per cent. The corresponding rate for the Tyne and Wear county was 29.8 per cent. En addition to the Newcastle upon Tyne, Newburn and Walker employment office areas the North Tyne travel-to-work area includes the North Shields, Wallsend, West Moor and Whitley Bay employment office areas.

Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the number of persons unemployed in London compared with the equivalent dates in 1981 and 1980.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to Mr. Morrison' s reply, 27 January 1982, c. 362]: At January 1982, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in Greater London was 336,920, compared with 242,410 at January 1981 and 143,436 at January 1980.