HC Deb 14 May 1985 vol 79 c96W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of unemployed and the rate of unemployment in January and April 1985 in the United Kingdom, France, West Germany and the United States of America, respectively.

Mr. Alan Clark

Following is the available information. The unemployment figures on national definitions in table 1 are not fully comparable owing to difference in coverage. The OECD standardised rates in table 2 take account of these differences as far as possible.

Table 1 Seasonally—adjusted unemployment—national definitions
000s
January 1985 April 1985
Number Per cent. rate Number Per cent. rate
United Kingdom 3,124 12.9 *3,177 *13.1
France 2,444 12.7
West Germany 2,297 9.2 2,319 9.3
United States of America 8,484 7.4 8,426 7.3
* Provisional.
† Not available.

Table 2 OECD standardised unemployment rates
*January 1985
United Kingdom 13.5
France 10.2
West Germany 8.2
United States of America 7.3
* OECD standardised rates are not yet available for April 1985.