§ 19. Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been out of work for over a year at the latest available date; and how many of them are 50 years of age.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe number of claimants unemployed for over 52 weeks in the United Kingdom on 12 January, the latest available, was 1,188,014. Of these, 107,518 were aged 50 to 54 years; the analysis does not separately distinguish the individual ages within this band.
§ 23. Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures of unemployed people in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 9 February, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,186,386.
§ 31. Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish percentage figures for the rates of unemployment broken down into jobcentre areas.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkUnemployment rates are calculated only for travel-to-work areas, which are broadly self-contained labour markets. In some cases a single jobcentre area constitutes a travel-to-work area. Otherwise two or more jobcentre areas are grouped together. Percentage rates of unemployment for each travel-to-work area in the United Kingdom are published monthly in table 2.4 ofEmployment Gazette.
§ 32. Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and women are registered as unemployed at employment offices and careers offices in Lambeth; and how many vacancies are currently held by those offices.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 9 February, the numbers of male and female unemployed claimants in the area covered by the Brixton, Stockwell, Streatham and West Norwood jobcentres, which corresponds closely to Lambeth, were 15,316 and 5,905, respectively.
On 3 February, the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the area were 385 at jobcentres and 40 at 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number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely.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 December 1983, the total number of people placed in jobs by the Brixton, Stockwell, Streatham and West Norwood jobcentres was 4,675. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
§ 45. Mr. Torneyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the change in total employment in the service sector of the economy between May 1979 and the latest available date.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe number of employees employed in service industries in Great Britain decreased by 35,000—seasonally adjusted—between June 1979 and September 1983. Estimates of total employment, including self-employment, in service industries are not yet available for periods after 1981.
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§ 52. Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Employment how the change in total employment in the service sector of the economy compares with the change in the maufacturing sector over the last year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkComprehensive estimates of employees in employment in both the service and manufacturing sectors are available quarterly, and the latest available are for September 1983. Between September 1982 and September 1983 the provisional numbers of employees in employment in the service industries in Great Britain increased by 165,000. The corresponding change for manufacturing industries was a decrease of 233,000.
§ 55. Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were in employment in each of the last six months compared with a year ago; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkEstimates of total employees in employment are collected quarterly and the latest available are for September 1983. These, and the figures for earlier dates, were published in table 1.1 of the labour market data section of the February 1984 issue ofEmployment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library.
§ 60. Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of people employed in full-time, or equivalent, work; and what proportion earn below £100 for a 40 hour week on basic rates of pay.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe latest available information relates to April 1983 when, according to the new earnings survey, about 32.5 per cent. of all full-time employees—then estimated at 15.8 million—had gross weekly earnings, excluding overtime earnings, of less than £100.
Gross earnings excluding overtime earnings will not correspond precisely with basic rates of pay as they will also cover such pay supplements as shift premia, bonuses and London weighting.
§ 62. Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present percentage rate of unemployment; and what are the numbers involved.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 9 February the number of unemployed claimants was 3,186,386. This corresponds to an unemployment rate of 13.4 per cent. in the United Kingdom.
§ 67. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the Rotherham, Mexborough and Wombwell employment areas.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 9 February, the rates of unemployment in the Rotherham and Mexborough travel-to-work areas were 19.5 per cent. and 22.8 per cent., respectively. Wombwell is part of the Barnsley travel-to-work area and the rate is calculated for the complete travel-to-work area only and not for its constituent parts. The unemployment rate in the Barnsley travel-to-work area on 9 February was 15.9 per cent.
§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State, for Employment what were the 10 largest categories of employment in the Coventry travel-to-work area in 1954, 401W 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976 and in the latest available year; how many were employed in each category; and what percentage of the total work force these represent.
Numbers and percentage of employees in employment in the ten industry groups with the largest numbers of employees Orders of the standard industrial classification 1968 June 1971 June 1976 September 1981 Number thousands Per cent. Number thousands Per cent. Number thousands Per cent. Mechanical engineering 19.2 8.3 20.3 8.9 17.2 9.0 Electrical engineering 19.0 8.2 15.8 6.9 14.0 7.4 Vehicles 70.8 30.6 56.2 24.8 26.9 14.1 Metal goods nes 8.4 3.6 6.9 3.0 6.9 3.6 Construction 6.7 2.9 6.6 2.9 6.3 3.3 Transport and communication 7.5 3.3 7.3 3.2 — — Distributive trades 19.0 8.2 19.5 8.6 19.1 10.0 Insurance, banking, finance and business services — — — — 7.6 4.0 Professional and scientific services 23.9 10.3 29.3 12.9 24.1 12.6 Miscellaneous services 15.6 6.7 19.7 8.7 19.1 10.0 Public administration and defence 8.4 3.7 10.0 4.4 18.0 9.4 Comparable figures for years prior to 1971 are not available.