§ Mr. Canavanasked the Paymaster General what is the total number of registered unemployed people in the United Kingdom; and what is his estimate of the number of unemployed people who are not registered.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIn October 1985 there was a total of 3,277,000 unemployed claiming benefits in the United Kingdom. According to the labour force survey, in the spring of 1984 there were about 870,000 people in Great Britain and some 900,000 in the United Kingdom who were seeking work but not claiming benefit.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Paymaster General if he will list the number of persons made redundant who are included in the unemployment count for each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and at the latest available date for which figures are available; and if he will also show this figure as a percentage of the total unemployed for each year.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe information is not available in the precise form requested. I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 28 October at columns330–31.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Paymaster General if he will list the numbers of disabled included in the unemployment count for each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985; and if he will also show this as a percentage of total unemployment in each year.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkFollowing is the available information on disabled persons registered as unemployed in September each year from 1979 to 1982.
597W
September Disabled persons included in unemployment count Thousands Percentage of total 1979 119.0 9.0 1980 143.1 7.3 1981 177.9 6.2 1982 188.4 5.9 Comparable figures are not available for later years following the removal in October 1982 of the compulsory requirement to register for employment as a condition for receipt of benefits. Figures for those with health problems or disabilities are now available from the labour force survey, as given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 28 October 1985 at column 332.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Paymaster General (1) if he will state the number of people with low-paid part-time jobs who are claiming benefit;
(2) if he will estimate what percentage of those registered as unemployed also have low-paid part-time jobs.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe labour force survey showed an estimated 105,000 or about 3½ per cent. of those claiming unemployment benefits had part-time paid jobs in the spring of 1984. No figures are available on the levels of pay received.