HC Deb 15 May 1984 vol 60 cc104-5W
Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) unemployed people there are and (b) vacancies exist in (i) Wales and (ii) the Deeside travel-to-work area.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

On 5 April 1984 there were 169,630 unemployed claimants in Wales and 8,099 in the Shotton travel-to-work area. There are no comprehensive figures relating to the total number of vacancies in the economy at any one time.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many redundancies have been decided in (a) Wales and (b) the Deeside travel-to-work area since May 1979.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that between May 1979 and March 1984, 132,903 notified redundancies occurred in Wales. Between January 1981 and March 1984, 4,173 notified redundancies occurred in the Shotton travel-to-work area. Information at the local level for the period prior to January 1981 is not available on a comprehensive basis.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) steelworkers, (b) coalminers and (c) textile workers were employed in Wales in 1976 and March 1984; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

Information in the form requested is available only from the Department of Employment's census of employment. Figures taken from the censuses nearest to the requested dates are as follows:

Employees-in-Employment
June 1976 September 1981
Coal Mining 37,900 33,000
Ferrous Metals* 66,700 32,000
Textiles 14,300 10,000
* Includes iron and steel (general), steel tubes, iron castings etc.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales engaged on special employment schemes in 1983 are now engaged in full-time permanent work; and how many are now in receipt of unemployment benefit.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Comprehensive information on the destination of people engaged on the full range of special employment and training measures is not available.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in the Deeside travel-to-work area have been unemployed for (a) up to six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) 12 to 18 months, (d) 18 to 24 months, (e) two to three years, (f) three to four years, (g) four to five years and (h) over five years, at the latest available date.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

Available information relates to the Shotton travel-to-work area. It is in respect of unemployed claimants in April 1984 and is as follows:

Numbers
(a) Up to six months 2,760
(b) Six to 12 months 1,795
(c) 12 to 18 months 786
(d) 18 to 24 months 639
(e) Two to three years 932
(f) Three to four years 731
(g) Four to five years 215
(h) Over five years 241

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