HC Deb 03 February 1983 vol 36 cc188-92W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will provide information on the median length of time persons have been registered as unemployed by age group in Scotland; and what is the corresponding information for Dundee;

(2) what is the number of school leavers currently unemployed in Dundee; and how many people under the age of 18 years have never had a job.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

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

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies or firms have closed down in Dundee since May 1979; how many jobs have been lost; how many further instances of job losses have been notified to the Manpower Services Commission in the same period; and how many jobs have been involved.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

There are no comprehensive statistics on redundancies or closures. In the period from May 1979 to October 1982—the latest date for which firm figures are available—35 instances of redundancy involving 10 or more workers and leading to the closure of a firm were notified to the Manpower Services Commission as likely to occur in the Dundee area with the loss of 1,438 jobs. In the same period, another 164 instances of redundancy, but not leading to closure, were notified to the Commission with the loss of a further 7,475 jobs.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers unemployed in Dundee by age group; and what percentage of the total unemployed each group contributes.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The following table gives the numbers of people registered at Dundee jobcentre and careers office—on the old basis of the unemployment count—at 14 October 1982, the latest date for which information is available.

Age Group Number Unemployed Percentage of Total Unemployment
Under 18 years 1,323 8.4
18 years 960 6.1
19 years 965 6.1
20–24 years 3,195 20.3
25–29 years 2,217 14.1
30–34 years 1,478 9.4
35–44 years 2,036 13.0

Unemployment in the Dundee Employment Office Area
Males Females Total
Numbers unemployed Percentage rate Numbers unemployed Percentage rate Numbers unemployed Percentage rate
10 May 1979 (registrants) 5,135 9.2 2,974 7.0 8,109 8.3
14 October 1982 (registrants) 10,547 19.0 5,159 12.2 15,706 16.0
14 October 1982 (claimants) 10,182 18.3 4,668 11.0 14,850 15.2
9 December 1982 (claimants) 10,219 18.4 4,513 10.6 14,732 15.0

Mr. McMahon

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the December 1982 figures for unemployment among (a) males and (b) females for each

Age Group Number Unemployed Percentage of Total Unemployment
45–49 years 903 5.7
50–54 years 988 6.3
55–59 years 1,003 6.4
60 years and over 638 4.1
Total all ages 15,706 100

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what number and percentage of those males unemployed in Dundee have been out of work for one year or more.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

On 14 October 1982, the latest date for which information is available, the number of males registered as unemployed for over 52 weeks at the Dundee jobcentre and careers office—the old basis of the unemployment count—was 4,769 or 45.2 per cent. of the total number of unemployed males registered at those offices at that date.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of registered job vacancies for adults in Dundee; and what are the numbers registered at the careers office for school leavers.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Information is not available in the precise form requested. At 3 December 1982, the latest date for which information is available, there were 427 unfilled vacancies notified to the jobcentre in Dundee and one to the careers office. In the majority of cases, no distinction is made between vacancies suitable for adults and those suitable for school leavers and the same vacancies may be notified to both the jobcentre and the careers office; the two figures should not therefore be added together.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of people unemployed in Dundee; what are the unemployment rates for males, females, and the total rate; and what are the corresponding figures for May 1979.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The following table gives the numbers and unemployment percentage rates for unemployed claimants—the new basis of the unemployment count—for December 1982, and the numbers and percentage rates for registered unemployed—the old basis of the count—for May 1979. It also gives figures for October 1982 on both the old and the new basis for the purpose of comparison.

region of Scotland; and what estimate of the number of non-registered unemployed he has made for each region in that month.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

[pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1983, c. 320]: The following table shows the number of unemployed claimants at unemployment benefit offices—the new basis of the unemployment count—in each region of Scotland at 9 December 1982. No estimates are prepared of the number of non-registered unemployed for Scotland or its regions.

Unemployment in each Region of Scotland at 9 December 1982
Male Female
Highland 7,667 3,791
Shetland 465 225
Orkney 600 174
Western Isles 1,735 469
Grampian 10,879 5,433
Tayside 16,711 7,745
Fife 11,954 5,938
Strathclyde 135,137 51,998
Lothian 29,996 12,304
Central 12,718 5,662
Dumfries and Galloway 5,302 2,546
Borders 2,546 1,208
Scotland 235,710 97,493

Mr. McMahon

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many registered disabled persons were unemployed at the last date for which information was available; how this compares with figures for May 1979; how many are within the Glasgow area; and how many are within the Govan area of Glasgow.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

[pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1983, c. 320]: The number of registered disabled persons registered as unemployed at employment and careers offices in the areas requested at 3 December 1982, the latest date for which the information is available, and at 10 May 1979 are given in the following table.

On 18 October, registration for employment at a jobcentre or careers office ceased to be a condition of entitlement to unemployment benefit. The figures for December 1982 therefore relate only to those registered disabled persons who voluntarily registered for work.

10 May 1979 3 December 1982
Scotland 5,559 6,380
Glasgow travel-to-work area 1,181 1,340
Govan 71 82

Note:

The Glasgow travel-to-work area comprises the 13 employment office areas within Glasgow city together with Barrhead, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch employment office areas.

Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the percentage figures for male and female unemployment in the Glasgow travel-to-work area as at June 1979 and similar information for the latest convenient date.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

[pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1983, c. 532]: The following table gives the percentage rates for registered unemployed—the old basis of the unemployment count—at June 1979 and the percentage rates for unemployed claimants—the new basis of the count—at December 1982. It also gives the rates for October 1982 on both the old and the new basis, for purposes of comparison.

Glasgow travel-to-work area percentage rates of unemployment
Males Females
June 1979 (registrants) 11.2 6.6
October 1982 (registrants) 21.4 11.8
October 1982 (claimants) 20.4 10.0
December 1982 (claimants) 20.6 9.8

Note: The Glasgow travel-to-work area comprises the 13 employment office areas within Glasgow city together with the Barrhead, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, East Kilbride, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch employment office areas.

Mr. Maxton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of (a) unemployed males and (b) unemployed females in the Glasgow travel-to-work area had been out of work for over (i) a year, (ii) two years and (iii) three years at the latest available date.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

[pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1983, c. 532]: The following table gives the numbers of males and females registered as unemployed in the categories requested in the Glasgow travel-to-work area at 14 October 1982, the latest date for which the information is available, and shows the figures as a percentage of total unemployed.

Unemployed for Males Females
Number As a percentage of total unemployed Number Ay a percentage of total unemployed
over 52 weeks 33,150 46.0 8,442 29.0
over 104 weeks 16,583 23.0 3,736 12.8
over 156 weeks 8,422 11.7 1,621 5.6

Notes

1. The Glasgow travel-to-work area comprises the 13 employment office areas within Glasgow city together with the Barrhead, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, East Kilbride, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch employment office areas.

2. The total of people unemployed for more than 52 weeks includes those unemployed for more than two years and more than three years; similarly, the figure for people unemployed for more than two years includes those unemployed for more than three years.

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