§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons unemployed at the most recent date for which figures are available; and what was the comparable total for the same date in the year immediately preceding the United Kingdom's membership of the Common Market.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkOn 10 February 1985, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,323,676. The corresponding number of unemployed in February 1972 is estimated to have been 936,600. This information is also available from the Library. The comparison is affected by the 1983 Budget provisions which mean that some men, mainly aged 60 and over, no longer need to sign on in order to receive supplementary 37W benefit or national insurance credits. The estimated effect of these measures, which accumulated between April and August 1983, is 162,000.