South-West Assisted Area

HC Deb 23 November 1982 vol 32 cc428-9W

31. Mr. Hicks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of people unemployed in the South-West assisted area and the percentage that this number forms of the total insured population; and what were the corresponding figures for October 1979.

Mr. Alison

At October 1982, the number of people registered as unemployed in assisted areas in the South-West region was 60,796 and the unemployment rate was 16.4 per cent. The corresponding figures at October 1979 were 31,567 and 8.6 per cent. At October 1982, the number of unemployed claimants—from now on the count is based on claimants—was 57,572, representing an unemployment rate of 15£3 per cent.