§ 53. Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are in work; how this compares with the figures for 1977, 1963 and 1953, respectively; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe employed labour force in March 1983 numbered 22,862,000, after making an allowance for undercounting, in Great Britain. In earlier years the figures were:
At March (thousand) 1953 22,995 *1963(a) 24,424 1963(b) 23,870 1977 24,152 * Note: The method of making employment estimates changed after 1953. Estimates for 1963 are given on current (b) and former (a) bases.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the unemployment rate of those aged (a) under 25 years and (b) over 55 years, respectively.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 14 July 1983, the latest date for which the quarterly age analysis is available, the estimated unemployment rates for the United Kingdom were 21.9 per cent. for those under 25 years of age and 9.6 per cent. for those aged 55 and over.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people had been unemployed for 12 months or more in October 1983, or at the most recent date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 14 July 1983, the latest date for which an analysis by duration of unemployment is152W available, there were 1,102,581 claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for more than 52 weeks.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures for Merseyside;
(2) what plans the Government have to reduce unemployment on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkWe are, of course, concerned about the high level of unemployment on Merseyside. The area will continue to benefit from the very highest levels of Government assistance. It has, amongst other things, special development area status, a development corporation, an inner city partnership and an enterprise zone. The role of the Merseyside task force in strengthening the area's economy and improving its environment is to be enhanced; but future employment prospects on Merseyside and elsewhere depend mainly on our industries improving their competitiveness and on world trading conditions.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment figures for the Merseyside special development area and the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what were the figures for May 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 8 September 1983 there were 141,996 unemployed claimants in the Merseyside special development area and 93,302 in the Liverpool travel-to-work area. On 10 May 1979 there were 80,933 and 57,060 registered unemployed respectively.
The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.