Labour Statistics (Hansard, 13 March 1984)

§ Mr. Boyes
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of unemployment for each region by year from 1954 to the present day.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
The following table gives the annual average numbers unemployed in the areas specified.
97W

Thousands

South East East Anglia South West West Midlands East Midlands Yorkshire and Humberside North West North Wales Scotland Northern Ireland

Annual Average

Registered unemployed^*

1954 68.3 7.1 16.7 12.3 6.4 19.1 44.2 28.3 22.9 59.5 33.0

1955 50.9 5.6 13.5 10.2 5.8 14.8 40.8 22.3 17.3 51.1 32.3

1956 58.7 6.4 14.9 23.0 6.9 15.7 40.0 19.7 19.5 52.2 30.1

1957 74.8 9.1 21.2 27.0 10.8 19.6 47.3 21.6 24.8 56.3 34.7

1958 97.7 11.6 26.8 33.8 19.7 38.5 80.8 31.1 36.3 81.1 43.5

1959 94.4 10.2 26.1 31.5 18.6 38.2 82.1 43.1 36.3 94.9 36.9

1960 73.2 8.0 20.6 21.4 13.1 24.5 57.8 37.2 26.0 78.7 32.4

1961 75.0 7.4 17.8 31.4 13.0 21.0 49.3 32.4 24.9 68.4 36.1

1962 98.3 9.8 22.5 40.5 17.9 34.3 76.8 49.3 30.7 83.1 36.7

1963 109.9 11.0 25.3 38.3 20.4 37.2 86.5 60.5 33.2 98.2 37.4

1964 76.6 8.5 20.4 20.3 13.2 25.8 61.1 43.5 24.6 78.1 32.2

1965 68.1 7.8 20.6 16.3 12.3 22.2 47.3 33.5 25.6 63.4 30.0

1966 75.6 8.6 23.6 19.3 14.6 23.4 43.8 33.7 28.4 59.9 30.1

1967 127.7 12.3 33.1 42.8 23.5 39.4 68.9 51.4 39.3 80.6 37.7

1968 128.4 12.1 33.1 45.6 26.2 51.0 71.2 60.2 38.8 80.4 36.4

1969 122.0 12.3 35.3 40.3 27.2 51.9 70.9 61.9 38.8 78.7 36.9

1970 125.9 13.7 37.4 44.6 31.6 57.0 77.9 61.2 37.2 90.4 35.4

1971 152.8 19.7 45.1 66.5 40.4 75.1 110.0 73.8 44.5 123.8 40.4

1972 161.9 18.5 46.8 80.4 42.6 82.0 135.7 81.9 49.1 136.0 40.6

1973 113.2 12.4 34.0 49.3 29.3 55.5 100.6 60.7 35.5 97.1 31.1

1974 117.8 13.2 40.7 49.6 32.7 53.9 97.6 60.5 38.6 86.5 29.9

1975 208.3 23.9 74.2 93.9 54.6 81.8 149.1 79.0 58.8 112.5 42.0

Unemployed claimant^†

1975 197.1 23.0 72.4 88.9 53.2 78.8 144.7 77.6 57.3 109.3 39.2

1976 300.2 32.6 99.8 126.6 71.0 109.6 188.4 98.0 75.4 148.3 51.8

1977 321.4 36.1 107.7 127.3 75.9 114.9 199.1 109.0 81.3 172.1 57.9

1978 296.0 34.9 102.4 122.5 75.9 119.2 197.7 116.3 84.8 172.0 62.3

1979 257.7 30.8 90.5 120.2 70.9 114.6 187.0 113.7 80.5 168.3 61.8

1980 328.1 39.2 106.9 170.1 98.7 154.6 242.1 140.8 102.7 207.9 74.5

1981 547.6 61.4 155.6 290.6 155.3 237.2 354.9 192.0 145.9 282.8 98.0

1982 664.6 72.2 179.0 337.9 176.6 273.2 407.8 214.6 164.8 318.0 108.3

1983^‡ 721.4 77.5 188.6 354.7 188.0 288.7 437.1 225.7 170.4 335.6 117.1

^* Figures for 1954 to 1962 include the temporarily stopped.

^† The basis of the unemployment count changed in October 1982 with the introduction of voluntary registration. To enable comparisons over time to be made, estimated back series on the claimant basis were made available; to January 1971 for national totals and to April 1974 for regional totals.

^‡ The comparison between 1982 and 1983 is affected by the provisions announced in the 1983 Budget 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. Between March and August 1983 an estimated 162,000 men in the United Kingdom were affected. The estimated effect by region was—38,000 South East; 5,000 East Anglia; 15,000 South West; 19,000 West Midlands; 15,000 East Midlands; 17,000 Yorkshire and Humberside; 18,000 North West; 13,000 North; 9,000 Wales; 11,000 Scotland and 2,000 in Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Canavan
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of unemployed people in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
On 9 February the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,186,386.

§ Mr. Boyes
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of (a) unemployed males and (b) unemployed females under the age of 21 years, have now been unemployed for (a) more than six months and (b) more than 12 months in the Houghton and Washington travel-to-work area; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
The following table gives the information for unemployed claimants aged under 20 years (under 21 not available) for 12 January, the latest date for which an analysis by age and duration of unemployment is available. The figures relate to the area covered by the Houghton-le-Spring and Washington jobcentres.

Percentage of total unemployed claimants aged under 20 years

Duration in weeks Male Female

Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 24.9 18.9

Over 52 weeks 21.9 25.3

Thousands
	South East	East Anglia	South West	West Midlands	East Midlands	Yorkshire and Humberside	North West	North	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
Annual Average
Registered unemployed^*
1954	68.3	7.1	16.7	12.3	6.4	19.1	44.2	28.3	22.9	59.5	33.0
1955	50.9	5.6	13.5	10.2	5.8	14.8	40.8	22.3	17.3	51.1	32.3
1956	58.7	6.4	14.9	23.0	6.9	15.7	40.0	19.7	19.5	52.2	30.1
1957	74.8	9.1	21.2	27.0	10.8	19.6	47.3	21.6	24.8	56.3	34.7
1958	97.7	11.6	26.8	33.8	19.7	38.5	80.8	31.1	36.3	81.1	43.5
1959	94.4	10.2	26.1	31.5	18.6	38.2	82.1	43.1	36.3	94.9	36.9
1960	73.2	8.0	20.6	21.4	13.1	24.5	57.8	37.2	26.0	78.7	32.4
1961	75.0	7.4	17.8	31.4	13.0	21.0	49.3	32.4	24.9	68.4	36.1
1962	98.3	9.8	22.5	40.5	17.9	34.3	76.8	49.3	30.7	83.1	36.7
1963	109.9	11.0	25.3	38.3	20.4	37.2	86.5	60.5	33.2	98.2	37.4
1964	76.6	8.5	20.4	20.3	13.2	25.8	61.1	43.5	24.6	78.1	32.2
1965	68.1	7.8	20.6	16.3	12.3	22.2	47.3	33.5	25.6	63.4	30.0
1966	75.6	8.6	23.6	19.3	14.6	23.4	43.8	33.7	28.4	59.9	30.1
1967	127.7	12.3	33.1	42.8	23.5	39.4	68.9	51.4	39.3	80.6	37.7
1968	128.4	12.1	33.1	45.6	26.2	51.0	71.2	60.2	38.8	80.4	36.4
1969	122.0	12.3	35.3	40.3	27.2	51.9	70.9	61.9	38.8	78.7	36.9
1970	125.9	13.7	37.4	44.6	31.6	57.0	77.9	61.2	37.2	90.4	35.4
1971	152.8	19.7	45.1	66.5	40.4	75.1	110.0	73.8	44.5	123.8	40.4
1972	161.9	18.5	46.8	80.4	42.6	82.0	135.7	81.9	49.1	136.0	40.6
1973	113.2	12.4	34.0	49.3	29.3	55.5	100.6	60.7	35.5	97.1	31.1
1974	117.8	13.2	40.7	49.6	32.7	53.9	97.6	60.5	38.6	86.5	29.9
1975	208.3	23.9	74.2	93.9	54.6	81.8	149.1	79.0	58.8	112.5	42.0
Unemployed claimant^†
1975	197.1	23.0	72.4	88.9	53.2	78.8	144.7	77.6	57.3	109.3	39.2
1976	300.2	32.6	99.8	126.6	71.0	109.6	188.4	98.0	75.4	148.3	51.8
1977	321.4	36.1	107.7	127.3	75.9	114.9	199.1	109.0	81.3	172.1	57.9
1978	296.0	34.9	102.4	122.5	75.9	119.2	197.7	116.3	84.8	172.0	62.3
1979	257.7	30.8	90.5	120.2	70.9	114.6	187.0	113.7	80.5	168.3	61.8
1980	328.1	39.2	106.9	170.1	98.7	154.6	242.1	140.8	102.7	207.9	74.5
1981	547.6	61.4	155.6	290.6	155.3	237.2	354.9	192.0	145.9	282.8	98.0
1982	664.6	72.2	179.0	337.9	176.6	273.2	407.8	214.6	164.8	318.0	108.3
1983^‡	721.4	77.5	188.6	354.7	188.0	288.7	437.1	225.7	170.4	335.6	117.1
^* Figures for 1954 to 1962 include the temporarily stopped.
^† The basis of the unemployment count changed in October 1982 with the introduction of voluntary registration. To enable comparisons over time to be made, estimated back series on the claimant basis were made available; to January 1971 for national totals and to April 1974 for regional totals.
^‡ The comparison between 1982 and 1983 is affected by the provisions announced in the 1983 Budget 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. Between March and August 1983 an estimated 162,000 men in the United Kingdom were affected. The estimated effect by region was—38,000 South East; 5,000 East Anglia; 15,000 South West; 19,000 West Midlands; 15,000 East Midlands; 17,000 Yorkshire and Humberside; 18,000 North West; 13,000 North; 9,000 Wales; 11,000 Scotland and 2,000 in Northern Ireland.

	Percentage of total unemployed claimants aged under 20 years
Duration in weeks	Male	Female
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks	24.9	18.9
Over 52 weeks	21.9	25.3