HC Deb 25 May 1982 vol 24 cc277-9W
Mr. Foulkes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report for each year for the period 1945 to 1981 total unemployment in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries; what percentage of the working population each figure represents; and if he will indicate any adjustments required because of new members to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Mr. Alison

The available information published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development gives a total unemployment rate for 15 OECD countries for each year since 1965.

Unemployment in fifteen OECD countries as per cent, of total labour force
Year
1965 2.6
1966 2.5
1967 2.8
1968 2.8
1969 2.6
1970 3.0
1971 3.5
1972 3.6
1973 3.2
1974 3.5
1975 5.1
1976 5.2
1977 5.3
1978 5.1
1979 5.1
1980 5.8
1981 6.8

Note:

The fifteen OECD countries are United States, Japan, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

These countries represented, in 1980, about 85 per cent. of unemployment in all OECD countries.

In 1981, it is estimated that there was an average of 25 million unemployed in all OECD countries.

Sir David Price

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for whole-time unemployment in Eastleigh; and how the percentage rate compares with the figures for Hampshire, the South-East of England and the United Kingdom, respectively.

Mr. Alison

The following is the provisional information at 13 May:

Number registered as unemployed Percentage rate of unemployment
Eastleigh employment office area 1,791 *8.5
Hampshire 53,634 9.3
South-East region 685,857 9.1
United Kingdom 2,969,443 12.4
* The rate relates to the Southampton travel-to-work area which comprises the Southampton, Eastleigh, Hythe, Romsey and Winchester employment office areas. Rates are not calculated for the constituent parts of travel-to-work areas.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for the latest available date the number of registered disabled people who are unemployed; and what percentage of total registered unemployed disabled people this represents for the following categories (a) blind, (b) totally or severely deaf, (c) epileptic, (d) mentally handicapped and (e) mentally ill.

Mr. Alison

At 8 April 1982, the latest available date, the total number of registered disabled people unemployed was 76,939. The information requested for the specific categories of disabled people is:

Registered disabled people unemployed Per cent, of total registered disabled people unemployed
(a) Blind 929 1.2
(b) Totally or severely deaf 1,872 2.4
(c) Epileptic 5,182 6.7
(d) Mentally handicapped 3,647 4.7
(e) Mentally ill 5,070 6.6

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish at the latest available dale the numbers of and percentages of unemployed registered disabled people and the unemployed among the total United Kingdom work force who have been unemployed (a) up to two weeks, (b) over two weeks and up to four weeks, (c) over four weeks and up to six weeks, (d) over six weeks and up to eight weeks, (e) over eight weeks and up to 13 weeks, (f)over 13 weeks and up to 26 weeks, (g) over 26 weeks and up to 52 weeks and (h) over 52 weeks.

Mr. Alison

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply of 7 December 1981—[Vol. 14, c.253–4]—which gave the latest available figures.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for the latest available date the number of registered disabled people, the number of those unemployed and the percentage of the total that represents.

Mr. Alison

At 19 April 1982, the latest date for which such information is available, there were 447,259 registered disabled people. The number of those unemployed at 8 April 1982 was 76,939, representing 17.2 per cent. of the total.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number and percentage of registered and unregistered disabled people unemployed in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Mr. Alison

The numbers and percentages of registered disabled people unemployed and the numbers of unregistered disabled people unemployed are shown below. It is not possible to calculate the percentage of unregistered disabled people unemployed.

Wolverhampton employment office area
Males Females
Duration in weeks Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages
2 or less 157 141 39 337 94 40 5 139
Over 2 and up to 4 weeks 163 172 37 372 120 57 8 185
Over 4 and up to 8 weeks 321 423 110 854 235 151 7 393
Over 8 and up to 13 weeks 335 426 89 850 273 145 10 428
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 686 821 254 1,761 399 296 35 730
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 1,163 1,294 527 2,984 774 500 56 1,330
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 1,110 2,125 796 4,031 491 429 91 1,011
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 260 622 185 1,067 117 149 28 294
Over 156 weeks 78 513 221 812 46 149 38 233
Total 4,273 6,537 2,258 13,068 2,549 1,916 278 4,743

West Midlands region
Males Females
Duration in weeks Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages
2 or less 3,955 3,231 889 8,075 2,884 1,382 128 4,394
Over 2 and up to 4 weeks 3,147 4,060 1,131 8,338 2,173 1,764 133 4,070
Over 4 and up to 8 weeks 5,692 7,559 2,097 15,348 4,148 3,266 260 7,674
Over 8 and up to 13 weeks 6,440 8,457 2,431 17,328 4,586 3,768 320 8,674
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 12,393 19,268 7,098 38,759 8,630 7,378 838 16,846
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 18,829 27,682 12,422 58,933 13,037 10,987 1,480 25,504
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 18,289 39,409 15,592 73,290 8,099 9,400 1,793 19,292
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 4,075 10,213 3,362 17,650 1,878 2,404 521 4,803
Over 156 weeks 1,102 7,985 4,573 13,660 794 2,135 825 3,754
Total 73,922 127,864 49,595 251,381 46,229 42,484 6,298 95,011