§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers employed in each of the main divisions of industry in May 1979 and the numbers employed at the latest available date; what has been the peak employment in the same trade since 1973; and in which year the peak was reached.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives, for Great Britain, the numbers of employees in employment in each of the main divisions of industry in June 1979 (not available for May) and September 1983, the latest date for which comprehensive estimates are available. It also gives the highest number of employees in employment in each division since 1973 and the year in which that peak was reached. Estimates of employees in employment after September 1981 are provisional.
Jobcentre area Total unemployed claimants Of which, aged under 18 Liverpool (Williamson square) 5,390 336 Old Swan 16,544 938 Prescot 2,695 161 Toxteth 9,810 481 Walton Vale 4,773 261
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment how the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom compares with that in Sweden, Austria and Norway, respectively.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe seasonally adjusted standardised rates estimated by the OECD, for January 1984, are—United Kingdom 13.4 per cent. and Sweden 3.2 per cent. For Austria, the latest figure of 4.3 per cent. relates to June 1983 and for Norway, the latest of 2.7 per cent. relates to November 1983
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of the working population which was unemployed (a) nationally and (b)in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what were the June 1979 figures.
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§ Mr. Alan Clarkfollowing table gives the percentage rates of unemployment in the United Kingdom and the Liverpool travel-to-work area for the dates specified. The figures include school-leavers and are not seasonally adjusted. The unemployment rate if calculated by expressing the unemployed as a percentage of employees (employees in employment plus the unemployed), this differs from the working population in that it excludes the self-employed and Her Majesty's forces.
per cent. United Kingdom Liverpool travel-to-work area Registered unemployed June 1979 5.5 12.3 Unemployed claimants January 1984 13.4 19.5 The comparisons are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count which occurred in October 1982. On the claimant basis the June 1979 rate for the United Kingdom is estimated at 5.1 per cent.; estimates at local level are not available. A further discontinuity was created by the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what were the unemployment figures for the Merseyside special development area at the latest date; and what they were in June 1979;
(2) what is the latest level of unemployment in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what were the figures for June 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 12 January there were 93,320 unemployed claimants in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and 142,384 in the Merseyside special development area. In June 1979, the number of registered unemployed in the same areas was 59,399 and 84,654 respectively.
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.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies were (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) in the Merseyside special development area at the latest available date; and what was the figure for June 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Merseyside special development area in June 1979 and January 1984.
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 beng 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 118W 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.
June 1979 January 1984 Liverpool travel-to-work area At jobcentres 2,713 1,960 At careers offices 48 21 Merseyside special development area At jobcentres 4,283 2,798 At careers offices 112 41
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have been unemployed for more than one year (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) in the Merseyside special development area at the latest date; and what were the figures for June 1979.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people (a) in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and (b) on Merseyside have been unemployed for one year, two years and three years, respectively, at the latest date.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives the number of claimants in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Merseyside special development area who, on 12 January, had been unemployed for the lengths of time specified.
Duration of unemployment Liverpool travel-to-work area Merseyside special development area Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 18,207 27,461 Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 10,843 16,020 Over 156 weeks 17,865 24,225
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make a statement on the recent unemployment figures for Liverpool and Merseyside, respectively;
(2) what plans Her Majesty's Government have to reduce unemployment in Liverpool and Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkWe are, of course, concerned about the high level of unemployment in Liverpool and Merseyside. The area benefits 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; and Liverpool was recently chosen as one of the experimental freeport locations. The role of the Merseyside task force in strengthening the area's economy and improving its environment has been enhanced.
There are signs that the Government's policies are succeeding in establishing the economic conditions which will help industries in Merseyside and elsewhere become more competitive and start to expand. In the meantime we are continuing to protect those hardest hit through our special employment and training measures.