HC Deb 29 November 1982 vol 33 cc32-5W
Mr. John Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what difference the new method of counting the unemployed would have meant to the figures for Greater London for each month since 1979, giving comparable totals on the old and new basis.

Mr. Alison

Following is the information:

Unadjusted (including school leavers) Seasonally Adjusted (excluding school leavers)
New basis (claimants) Old basis (registrations) New basis (claimants) Old basis (registrations)
Number (000s) Percentage of all employees Number (000s) Percentage of all employees Number (000s) Percentage of all employees Number (000s) Percentage of all employees
May 313.9 8.05 340.6 9.0 308.1 8.3 330.5 8.8
June 311.3 8.4 344.1 9.1 312.2 8.4 335.5 8.9
July 320.0 8.7 358.6 9.5 316.9 8.6 338.3 9.0
August 329.4 8.9 379.5 10.1 320.1 8.7 348.6 9.3
September 341.9 9.3 390.4 10.4 321.9 8.7 355.8 9.4
October 341.5 9.2 389.1 10.3 324.7 8.8 361.3 9.6

The figures on the new basis prior to May 1982 incorporate estimates.

Mr. Proctor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of unemployment amongst the ethnic minorities; and if he will publish in the Official Report the present level of New Commonwealth and Pakistani unemployment expressed as a percentage of the New Commonwealth and Pakistani work force.

Mr. Alison

At the last count on 12 August 1982, there were 131,701 registered unemployed ethnic minority group workers in Great Britain. This represents 4.2 per cent. of all registered unemployed at that date. The figures cover those who were born or whose parent(s) were born in the New Commonwealth or Pakistan; a separate unemployment rate for these is not available.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many and what percentage of school leavers were unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area (a) at the latest date and (b) in 1979;

(2) what is the percentage of unemployment of young people under 21 years of age in the Liverpool travel-towork area at the latest date; what percentage has been unemployed for more than one year; and what were the respective figures in May 1979;

(3) how many and what percentage of males between 16 and 64 years were unemployed in (a) the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) nationally at the latest date and in May 1979;

(4) how many persons were unemployed at the latest date (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) nationally; and how many had been unemployed for more than one year;

(5) what was the number of job vacancies (a) nationally and (b) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest available date and in May 1979;

(6) how many and what percentage of females were unemployed between the age of 16 and 59 years (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) nationally at the latest date and in May 1979.

Mr. Alison

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the recent unemployment figures for Merseyside and Liverpool, respectively.

Mr. Alison

We all want the high level of unemployment to come down, but this will happen only when British industry becomes more competitive and world trading conditions improve. It is profitable firms which create jobs: therefore, the more goods and services our firms can sell at home and abroad, the more new jobs we shall see in Merseyside and throughout the country.

The Government's task is to create the right environment in which firms can prosper. We have already made a good deal of progress on this front—inflation and interest rates, for instance, have been considerably reduced. But industry has to play its part, too, by continuing to increase productivity and improve the quality and design of its goods. Meanwhile, we are helping those groups worst affected by the high levels of unemployment through the considerable range of special employment measures.

Mr. Wiley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total figures for unemployment in Sunderland in October from 1977 to 1982; how many had been unemployed for 12 months or more in those years; and what were the figures for youth unemployment in each year.

Mr. Alison

I shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed (a) men and (b) women and (c) young people aged between 16 and 25 years there were in York in May 1979 and on the last convenient date; and how many have been unemployed for more than (i) six months, (ii) 12 months and (iii) two years.

Mr. Alison

[pursuant to his reply, 22 November 1982, c. 369]: The following table gives, for the groups specified, the numbers registered as unemployed—old basis—and the numbers who had been unemployed for the length of time stated in the York employment office area at April 1979 and October 1982. An analysis by age and duration of unemployment is not available for May.

April 1979 October 1982
Male Female Aged under 25 (included in previous columns) Male Female Aged under 25 (included in previous columns)
Total registered as unemployed 2,458 999 1,191 4,641 2,526 3,644
Unemployed for over 26 and up to 52 weeks 475 191 204 859 459 573
Unemployed for over 52 and up to 104 weeks 324 110 95 934 412 513
Unemployed for over 104 weeks 339 50 28 770 176 186