§ Mr. Maplesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the breakdown of the increase in unemployment for each year since 1973 by (a) economic sector and (b) geographical region.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following table gives the regional breakdown of the changes in the unemployment annual average for the years requested:
137WThe figures for 1983 are affected by the Budget provisions, which enabled some men aged 60 and over to receive the long-term rate of supplementary benefit and national insurance credits without having to sign on.
An analysis of the unemployed by last industry is no longer available from the regular count, as these details are not collected at unemployment benefit offices. The last industrial analysis of the registered unemployed, relating to May 1982, was published in tables 2.9 and 2.10 of the July 1982 Employment Gazette. This Gazette, and others containing earlier figures, are available from the library.
§ Mr. Maplesasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are estimated to remain unemployed but cease to register as such after their entitlement to unemployment benefit expires.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe information is not available. The reasons why people cease to claim benefit are not recorded.
§ Mr. Maplesasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people who would otherwise be registered as unemployed are not so registered as a result of Government schemes; and if he will list the numbers so involved in each scheme.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkAt the end of May 1984, the latest date for which figures are available, some 625,000 people in Great Britain were covered by the Government's special employment and training measures. The actual effect on the unemployment count, however, is less for a number of reasons: for example, not all those assisted would have been entitled to claim benefits. It is not possible to break down the effect by each particular scheme, but the estimated overall direct effect is that about 440,000 people were in jobs or training instead of claiming unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. Maplesasked the Secretary of State for Employment in which sectors of the economy he
138W
Duration of unemployment as a percentage of total unemployed April each year Region Up to 8 weeks Over 8 and up to 26 weeks Over 26 and up to 52 weeks Over 52 and up to 104 weeks Over 104 weeks Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. South East Registered unemployed 1975 50.7 28.6 10.7 10.1 10.1 1980 33.3 31.7 16.2 9.4 9.4 Unemployed claimants 1984 18.5 26.0 21.8 17.6 16.1 East Anglia Registered unemployed 1975 44.7 32.0 11.0 12.3 12.3 1980 31.1 32.9 16.4 8.8 10.8 Unemployed claimants 1984 16.9 28.1 21.9 16.5 16.7 South West Registered unemployed 1975 43.3 31.2 13.0 12.5 12.5 1980 26.4 30.4 19.5 11.1 12.5 Unemployed claimants 1984 17.6 27.5 22.8 16.0 16.2 West Midlands Registered unemployed 1975 48.1 27.9 11.3 12.8 12.8 1980 26.8 30.0 19.0 12.0 12.2 anticipates an increase in employment over the next (a) five years and (b) 10 years; and by how much, both absolutely and as a percentage of employment in that sector.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonForecasts of employment are very uncertain and depend on a host of assumptions about future policies and the working of the economy. This Department does not produce forecasts of aggregate or sectoral employment, although some studies within the Department's programme examine employment prospects in specific areas. For example, the Institute of Manpower Studies has published a report commissioned by this Department on new technology and employment in the financial services sector, which includes forecasts to 1987.
§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the proportion of persons currently registered as unemployed in each planning region of the United Kingdom who have been registered for (a) under two months, (b) two to six months, (c) six months to one year, (d) one to two years and (e) over two years; and how these figures compare to comparable figures for 1975 and 1980.
§ Mr. Alan Clark[pursuant to his reply, 9 July 1984, c. 399]: The following table gives the available information for April in each of the years 1975, 1980 and 1984, the latest date for which an analysis by duration of unemployment is available. The analysis for April 1975 did not provide figures for separate duration bands beyond 52 weeks and the percentages given in the table relate to the over 52 weeks category as a whole. Figures for Northern Ireland are not available for April 1975.
The comparisons are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and 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.
139W
Region Up to 8 weeks Over 8 and up to 26 weeks Over 26 and up to 52 weeks Over 52 and up to 104 weeks Over 104 weeks Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Unemployed claimants 1984 12.7 20.0 21.0 19.8 26.5 East Midlands Registered unemployed 1975 44.9 27.6 11.8 15.7 15.7 1980 29.4 30.7 17.1 10.7 12.0 Unemployed claimants 1984 16.4 24.8 22.4 17.1 19.3 Yorkshire and Humberside Registered unemployed 1975 47.5 25.4 11.3 15.8 15.8 1980 28.6 31.3 17.6 10.5 12.1 Unemployed claimants 1984 15.0 23.5 21.9 18.2 21.4 North West Registered unemployed 1975 42.1 27.8 14.1 16.0 16.0 1980 25.6 29.6 18.8 11.8 14.3 Unemployed claimants 1984 13.4 21.8 21.7 19.0 24.1 North Registered unemployed 1975 39.7 25.6 13.8 20.9 20.9 1980 24.9 29.6 20.0 11.6 14.0 Unemployed claimants 1984 13.9 21.1 21.8 18.7 24.4 Wales Registered unemployed 1975 45.7 26.3 12.9 15.1 15.1 1980 28.3 29.5 18.8 11.4 11.9 Unemployed claimants 1984 14.0 23.0 22.3 18.2 22.5 Scotland Registered unemployed 1975 40.2 27.8 13.0 19.0 19.0 1980 25.0 31.7 19.9 11.3 12.0 Unemployed claimants 1984 15.2 23.8 21.7 17.5 21.8 Northern Ireland Registered unemployed 1975 * * * * * 1980 22.9 28.9 18.6 12.1 17.6 Unemployed claimants 1984 12.6 19.5 20.3 18.9 28.7 *Not available.