HC Deb 12 July 1984 vol 63 cc642-5W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current numbers of young people (a) on Merseyside, (b) in Kirkby, (c) in Prescot and (d) in the borough of Knowsley who have never had a full-time job.

Mr. Alan Clark

The following is the available information for unemployed claimants on 14 June. The figures relate to the numbers of unemployed school leavers, that is, young people who had not entered employment since terminating full-time education. The figures do not include unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age registered at careers offices in the areas who are not yet entitled to benefit; the figures are shown separately in the table.

Unemployed claimant Unemployed non-claimant
school leavers school leavers
Under 18 years 18 years 19 years and over school leavers under 18 years
Merseyside Special Development Area 4,511 4,114 8,491 2,768
Kirkby jobcentre area 266 177 406 537
Prescot jobcentre area 91 103 160 49
Borough of Knowsley* 751 629 1,157 652

Merseyside special development area Kirkby jobcentre area Prescot jobcentre area Borough of Knowsley*
Duration in weeks
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 26,058 1,341 481 3,596
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 15,756 891 275 2,276
Over 156 and up to 208 weeks 10,861 684 200 1,668
Over 208 and up to 260 weeks 6,470 426 76 957
Over 260 weeks 7,380 831 131 1,571
* Figures are given for the area covered by the Kirkby, Prescot and Huyton jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the borough of Knowsley.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of people unemployed and the number of vacancies in (a) Merseyside, (b) Kirkby, (c) Prescot and (d) the borough of Knowsley.

Mr. Alan Clark

The attached table gives the total numbers of unemployed claimants in the areas specified on 14 June. It also gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices on 8 June.

The unemployment figures do not include unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age registered at careers offices in the areas who are not yet entitled to benefit; the figures are shown separately in the table.

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 March 1984, the number of people placed in jobs by jobcentres in the Merseyside special development area was 43,820. It is estimated that, nationally, the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

Unemployed
Total unemployed claimants Unemployed non-claimant school leavers under 18 years (not included in previous column)
Merseyside special development area 130,496 2,768
Kirkby jobcentre area 7,120 537
Prescot jobcentre area 2,618 49
Borough of Knowsley* 18,342 652

* Figures are given for the area covered by the Kirkby, Prescot and Huyton jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the borough of Knowsley.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people who have been unemployed for (a) over one year, (b) over two years, (c) over three years, (d) over four years and (e) five or more years (i) on Merseyside, (ii) in Kirkby, (iii) in Prescot and (iv) in the borough of Knowsley.

Mr. Alan Clark

The following is the information for unemployed claimants on 5 April, the latest date for which an analysis by duration of unemployment is available.

Total unemployed claimants Unemployed non-claimant school leavers under 18 years (not included in previous column)
Unfilled vacancies
At jobcentres At careers offices
Merseyside special development area 3,874 110
Kirkby jobcentre area 63
Prescot jobcentre area 65 1
Borough of Knowsley* 324 4
* Figures are given for the area covered by the Kirkby, Prescot and Huyton jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the borough of Knowsley.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage increase in unemployment since 1979 (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) on Merseyside, (c) in Kirkby, (d) in Prescot and (e) in the borough of Knowsley.

Mr. Alan Clark

The attached table gives the percentage increases in the numbers registered as unemployed between June 1979 and October 1982 and the percentage changes in the numbers of unemployed claimants between October 1982 and June 1984. The boundary of the Prescot jobcentre area was changed in January 1982 and comparable figures on which to base the percentage increase between June 1979 and October 1982 are not, therefore, available.

The comparison over the period is affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982. The June 1984 figures do not include unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age registered at careers offices who are not yet entitled to benefit. The figures have also been affected by 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.

Registered unemployed Percentage increase June 1979 to October 1982 Unemployed claimants Percentage change October 1982 to June 1984
United Kingdom 145.2 -0.6
Merseyside Special Development Area 73.0 -0.4
Kirkby jobcentre area 50.1 -7.3
Prescot jobcentre area * +3.2
Borough of Knowsley† 68.3 -2.8
* Not available.
†The area covered by the Kirkby, Prescot and Huyton jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the borough of Knowsley.