§ 12. Mr. Clayasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average length of time for which people registered as unemployed had been out of work in May 1979; and what is the corresponding time for the latest available date.
§ Mr. Tom KingIn April 1979—not available for May — the median duration of unemployment in the United Kingdom was 24 weeks. The figure for January 1984 was 33 weeks.
§ 22. Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present percentage rate of unemployment; and what are the numbers involved.
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Males Duration of unemployment in weeks 16 17 18 19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65 and over Total One or less 7 21 20 20 88 56 52 42 35 27 22 24 25 0 490 Over 1 and up to 2 6 20 16 17 66 53 38 36 31 26 22 23 19 0 373 Over 2 and up to 4 5 23 22 16 91 50 42 34 29 20 25 24 26 0 407 Over 4 and up to 6 11 29 34 30 98 80 42 39 38 32 38 40 32 0 543
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January, the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom was 13.4 per cent.; the number of unemployed claimants to which this relates was 3,199,678.
§ 29. Dr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the northern region.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January, the number of unemployed claimants in the northern region was 230,859.
§ 31. Mr. Sean Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage change in the number of 16 to 17-year-olds unemployed between 1982 and 1983.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkBetween October 1982 and October 1983, the number of unemployed claimants aged under 18 years in the United Kingdom decreased by 0.7 per cent.
October was the only month in 1982 for which the quarterly age analysis was produced on the newly introduced basis of claimant unemployed.
§ 33. Mr. Tony Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the annual reduction in the level of unemployment if the trend since October 1983 continues.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkLike their predecessors, the Government do not publish unemployment forecasts, only assumptions for planning expenditure. At present, the trend in unemployment is seen as being flat.
§ 35. Mr. Tim Smithasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are unemployed at the latest available date.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,199,678.
§ 36. Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment, based on the same statistical basis as used in 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkReliable estimates cannot be produced, principally because it is not known how many non-claimants to benefit would have registered at jobcentres if registration procedures had not changed with the introduction of voluntary registration in October 1982.
To enable comparisons over time to be made with the claimant unemployment series, an estimated series back to January 1971 has been made available.
§ 39. Mr. Geoffrey Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those unemployed in Coventry, for the latest month for which figures are available, by sex, age and the duration of unemployment.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives the figures for unemployed claimants in the Coventry jobcentre area on 12 January.
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Duration of unemployment in weeks 16 17 18 19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65 and over Total Over 6 and up to 8 11 26 30 21 120 61 62 51 28 36 31 34 28 0 539 Over 8 and up to 13 21 63 66 64 239 131 102 118 94 77 66 102 104 0 1,247 Over 13 and up to 26 89 253 332 210 587 306 229 202 126 144 148 162 168 0 2,956 Over 26 and up to 39 8 101 136 132 416 202 155 120 101 82 128 166 148 0 1,895 Over 39 and up to 52 1 47 94 97 258 154 122 118 95 94 111 133 135 0 1,459 Over 52 and up to 65 0 24 59 76 217 153 106 78 80 89 77 99 97 0 1,155 Over 65 and up to 78 0 40 92 89 246 153 119 99 105 86 101 124 46 0 1,300 Over 78 and up to 104 0 3 69 127 394 221 189 168 124 115 121 206 54 0 1,791 Over 104 and up to 156 0 0 29 99 531 323 292 323 227 212 167 257 67 0 2,527 Over 156 and up to 208 0 0 0 13 387 294 257 224 227 210 209 271 53 1 2,146 Over 208 and up to 260 0 0 0 0 87 94 61 70 35 41 67 79 14 0 548 Over 260 0 0 0 0 11 47 42 66 56 80 79 131 43 0 555 Total Males 159 650 999 1,011 3,836 2,378 1,910 1,788 1,431 1,371 1,412 1,875 1,059 1 19,880
Females Duration of unemployment in weeks 16 17 18 19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60 and over Total One or less 7 14 25 27 91 42 32 25 15 9 12 7 0 306 Over 1 and up to 2 7 19 20 17 67 29 18 16 8 10 8 6 0 223 Over 2 and up to 4 5 14 22 25 81 39 18 15 13 13 8 6 0 259 Over 4 and up to 6 11 17 21 18 62 31 21 15 7 17 11 12 0 243 Over 6 and up to 8 8 17 31 11 75 47 21 5 10 5 7 10 0 247 Over 8 and up to 13 22 53 57 48 155 107 53 35 26 19 26 28 0 629 Over 13 and up to 26 82 205 336 172 376 219 115 84 61 73 71 76 0 1,870 Over 26 and up to 39 4 67 87 73 236 125 84 50 42 32 46 58 2 906 Over 39 and up to 52 3 44 74 58 144 126 65 39 36 36 30 32 1 683 Over 52 and up to 65 0 25 34 51 108 59 21 31 22 30 25 37 1 444 Over 65 and up to 78 0 25 56 59 105 48 21 21 30 25 21 44 1 456 Over 78 and up to 104 0 3 33 81 142 58 25 36 26 31 34 38 2 503 Over 104 and up to 156 0 0 24 60 226 45 33 28 28 50 52 61 3 610 Over 156 and up to 208 0 0 0 12 101 26 19 14 21 30 31 62 1 317 Over 208 and up to 260 0 0 0 0 44 22 7 11 8 15 10 27 0 144 Over 260 0 0 0 0 16 25 10 8 9 11 17 40 1 137 Total Females 149 503 820 712 2,029 1,048 563 433 362 406 407 544 12 7,983
§ 42. Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest total number of unemployed people; and how many have been without work for more than a year.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,199,678. Of these, 1,188,039 had been unemployed for over 52 weeks.
§ 43. Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present number of people registered as unemployed in the London borough of Wandsworth; and what is the present number of vacancies registered at jobcentres in the borough.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January, the number of unemployed claimants in the area covered by the Balham, Clapham Junction and Tooting jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the London borough of Wandsworth, was 15,969.
On 6 January, the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at the jobcentres was 518. Vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. The number of vacancies remaining unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to December 1983 the number of people placed in jobs by the Balham, Clapham Junction and Tooting jobcentres was 6,785. It is estimated that, nationally, the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
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§ 44. Mr. Boyesasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the borough of Sunderland were in work in May 1979 and at the latest available date, respectively.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkFigures for May 1979 are not available. The nearest estimates relate to June 1978 at which time there were 111,000 employees in employment in the area. The latest figure, for September 1981, is 100,100.
§ 57. Ms Clare Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has studied the report by the unemployment unit in January, a copy of which has been sent to him, about the numbers of persons who are unemployed but not included in the official count; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe unit's claim that the monthly count underestimates jobless by up to a third is exaggerated. The unit includes those on special employment and training measures who are not unemployed — they are in jobs, training or early retirement. It also includes an estimate for those not covered by the monthly count, ignoring those in the regular figures who are not actively looking for work.
The changes in the coverage of the monthly unemployment series simply follow changes in the administrative system of claiming benefit, which we have made easier for unemployed people. The effect of these changes on the unemployment count have been openly and fully displayed.
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§ 58. Mr. Evansasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for two years or more to the latest available date; and what were the comparable figures for May 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January 1984, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over 104 weeks was 616,410. The corresponding number of registered unemployed on 5 April 1979—not available for May—was 179,784.
The comparison is affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.
§ 63. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of persons unemployed and the number of vacancies at the latest available date in (a) Merseyside and (b) Kirkby.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives the numbers of unemployed claimants in the Merseyside special development area and the Kirkby jobcentre area on 12 January. It also gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices on 6 January.
The vacancy statistics relate only to those vacancies notified to jobcentres and careers offices; vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication, the figures for jobcentres and careers offices should not be added together. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn, which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to December 1983, the number of people placed in jobs by jobcentres in the Merseyside special development area was 44,824. It is estimated that, nationally, the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
Number of unemployed claimants Notified unfilled vacancies at jobcentres at careers offices Merseyside Special Development area 142,384 2,798 41 Kirby jobcentre area 7,713 69 —