§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment and vacancy figures in (a) the Manchester travel-to-work area and (b) the Manchester city employment office area at May in each of the years 1978 to 1983 and at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkTable 1 gives the number registered as unemployed in both the Manchester travel-to-work and jobcentre areas in May each year from 1978 to 1982. It also gives the number of unemployed claimants in May 1983 and May 1984, together with the figures on both bases for October 1982.
able 2 gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices in both the Manchester travel-to-work and jobcentre areas in May each year from 1978 to 1984.
Table 1 Manchester travel-to-work area Manchester jobcentre area Registered unemployed May 1978 40,935 6,205 May 1979 36,634 4,699 May 1980 44,343 5,532 May 1981 78,931 9,381 May 1982 92,818 10,060 October 1982 103,633 10,354 Unemployed claimants October 1982 92,868 8,258 May 1983 94,238 8,384 May 1984 95,556 8,508 The comparisons between the figures 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.
Manchester travel-to-work area was 53,613. It is estimated that nationally the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of unemployment in Manchester at the latest date for which figures are available; how many people in the city have now been out of work for more than a year; and if he will give comparable information, for as near as possible to the same date, in each of the years 1978 to 1983.
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§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe following tables give the information for the Manchester travel-to-work area. Table 1 gives the percentage rates of unemployment for registered unemployed in May each year from 1978 to 1982 and the rates for unemployed claimants in May 1983 and May 1984. Table 2 gives the numbers registered as unemployed for over 52 weeks in April each year from 1978 to 1982 and the corresponding numbers for unemployed claimants in April 1983 and April 1984, the latest available. The tables also include the figures on both registration and claimants bases for October 1982.
The comparisons between the figures 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.
Table 1 Percentage rates of unemployment per cent. Registered May 1978 5.8 May 1979 5.2 May 1980 6.3 May 1981 11.0 May 1982 13.0 October 1982 14.5 Claimants October 1982 13.0 May 1983 13.1 May 1984 13.3
Table 2 Unemployed for over 52 weeks Number Registered April 1978 10,697 April 1979 11,262 April 1980 9,997 April 1981 16,145 April 1982 32,562 October 1982 37,860 Claimants October 1982 32,013 April 1983 36,966 April 1984 41,704
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is able to estimate the male and female unemployment rates for each post code sector in Greater Manchester; what study he has made of the estimates of these rates made by the Greater Manchester council, details of which have been sent to him, and if there is any action he will be taking to publish unemployment rates on a more localised basis.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkWhile unemployment data by post code sector are made available on computer tapes to local authorities and all the published statistics are currently based on aggregations of post code sectors, the figures are not published to such a fine level of detail.
I have seen the study by the Greater Manchester council and my right hon. Friend will be writing to the right hon. Member about it. While residence-based unemployment rates for small areas are useful indicators of social need, they do not necessarily provide a meaningful indication of an area's overall need for jobs. This is one reason why my 158W Department only publishes unemployment rates for travel-to-work areas which are reasonably self-contained labour markets. We do not intend to publish unemployment rates for smaller areas.