§ Mr. Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a 520W table showing the percentage increase in unemployment since June 1979 in each of the Wakefield, Huddersfield, Castleford, Pontefract, Normanton, Barnsley, Dewsbury and Hemsworth travel-to-work areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives, for each travel-to-work area specified, the percentage change in the numbers of registered unemployed between June 1979 and October 1982, and the percentage change in the number of unemployed claimants between October 1982 and January 1984. It also gives comparable figures for Pontefract and Normanton jobcentre areas (which form part of the Castleford travel-to-work area) and Hemsworth jobcentre area (which is part of the Wakefield travel to work area).
Percentage change June 1979–October 1982 (Registered unemployed) October 1982–January 1984 (Unemployed claimants) Wakefield TTWA +130.6 +3.1 Huddersfield TTWA +225.8 -7.7 Castleford TTWA +120.0 +4.3 Pontefract JCA +109.4 +5.6 Normanton JCA +130.3 +3.9 Barnsley TTWA +129.8 +0.2 Dewsbury TTWA +213.2 +0.8 Hemsworth JCA +95.5 -1.8 Comparisons between 1982 and 1984 are affected by the provisions announced in the 1983 Budget which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on at an unemployment benefit office. The effect nationally was about 0.5 per cent.; estimates of the effect at local level are not available.