HC Deb 19 January 1983 vol 35 cc141-2W
Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures in the Province.

Mr. Adam Butler

At 9 December 1982, the latest date for which information is available, there were 112,310 unemployed claimants in Northern Ireland; this represented an unemployment rate in the Province of 20.1 per cent.

I continue to be very concerned at the level of unemployment in the Province and it remains one of the principal objectives of Government economic policy to create the conditions in which new employment opportunities can be provided.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report the percentage of male unemployment in areas covered by each constituency in the Province calculated on the last census figures.

Mr. Adam Butler

The information is not available in the form requested.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are unemployed in the Belfast travel-to-work area at the latest available date.

Mr. Adam Butler

The number of unemployed claimants in the Belfast travel-to-work area on 9 December 1982 was 49,147.