HC Deb 18 February 1986 vol 92 cc130-3W
14. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Paymaster General how many men between the ages of 50 and 59 years have been unemployed for more than 12 months, two years and three years, respectively.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January the numbers of unemployed men in the United Kingdom between the ages of 50 and 59 who have been unemployed for more than 12 months, two years and three years was 238,700; 172.40() and 122,600 respectively.

19. Mr. Litherland

asked the Paymaster General how many people are unemployed now; and how many were unemployed in May 1979.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986 the number of unemployed claimants, seasonally adjusted excluding school-leavers, in the United Kingdom was 3,204,900. The corresponding number for May 1979 was 1,184,100.

26. Mr. Alan Howarth

asked the Paymaster General how many people are now recorded as being in work; and what was the comparable figure three years ago.

Mr. Lang

In September 1985 (latest date for which figures are available) there were 23,724,000 people in the employed labour force in Great Britain. In September 1982 there were 23,215,000. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and Her Majesty's Forces.

36. Mr. Knox

asked the Paymaster General how many people were out of work in the Staffordshire, Moorlands parliamentary constituency at the most recent count; and what was the comparable figure for the same month in 1973.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986. The number of unemployed claimants in the Staffordshire, Moorlands constituency was 3,768. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the new ward-based system and are available only from June 1983.

38. Dr. McDonald

asked the Paymaster General if he will state the current level of unemployment.

65. Mr. Frank Cook

asked the Paymaster General what is the present number of people who are unemployed.

79. Mr. Weetch

asked the Paymaster General how many people are currently unemployed; and if he will make a statement.

80. Mr. Dykes

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.

88. Mr. Andrew MacKay

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

119. Mr. Latham

asked the Paymaster General whether he will make a statement on the latest level of unemployment.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986 the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,407,729.

44. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Paymaster General how many men aged over 50 years have been unemployed for more than 12 months, two years and three years, respectively.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986 there were 256,669 male claimants aged 50 years or over in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for more than 12 months, 181,139 for more than two years, and 128,670 for more than three years.

53. Mr. Randall

asked the Paymaster General how many people had been unemployed for more than 12 months in May 1979; and how many people have been unemployed for more than 12 months to the latest available date.

Mr. Lang

On 5 April 1979 (figures for May 1979 are not available) the number of unemployed registrants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for more than 12 months was 366,711. The corresponding number of unemployed claimants as at 9 January 1986 was 1,371,632. The figures for April 1979 and January 1986 are not strictly comparable because of changes in the way the figures are collected.

56. Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Paymaster General how many people have been unemployed for more than 12 months, two years and three years, respectively.

Mr. Trippier

On 9 January 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for more than 12 months, two years, and three years was 1,371,632, 844,106, and 555,920, respectively.

60. Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Paymaster General if he will discontinue the practice of adding to official statistics of employees in employment equivalents made up of part-time employees, listing these later statistics separately and indicating those who work both part-time and full-time.

Mr. Lang

The Department's published employees in employment estimates separately identify part time male and female employees for census of employment dates; most recently for September 1981. For other dates only part time female employees are separately identified but regular separate estimates for part time male employees will be introduced, retrospectively to September 1984, later this year when the results of the 1984 census of employment are available.

70. Mr. Baldry

asked the Paymaster General what has been the overall unemployment trend over the last 12 months.

Mr. Lang

The seasonally adjusted level of unemployment in the United Kingdom, excluding school leavers, increased by an average 7,000 per month during the 12 months to January 1986.

71. Mr. Skinner

asked the Paymaster General what proportion of the work force was unemployed in May 1979; and what is the proportion unemployed at the present time.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986 the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, excluding school leavers, was 13.2 per cent. in the United Kingdom. The corresponding unemployment rate for May 1979 was 4.9 per cent.

75. Mr. Barron

asked the Paymaster General what is the current number of unemployed in the Rother Valley; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986 the number of unemployed claimants in the Rother Valley constituency was 6,449.

89. Mr. Strang

asked the Paymaster General how many men have been unemployed for more than 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986, the number of male claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for more than 12 months was 1,043,981.

94. Mr. Alton

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the unemployment situation on Merseyside.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the Merseyside metropolitan county was 142,696, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 21.5 per cent.

112. Mr. Hardy

asked the Paymaster General how many people are currently unemployed; and what this is as a percentage of the work force.

Mr. Lang

On 9 January 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,407,729, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 14.1 per cent.

115. Mr. Stott

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement about the current trends in unemployment.

Mr. Lang

The seasonally adjusted level of unemployment in the United Kingdom, excluding school leavers, flattened out over the second half of 1985. Given the monthly variations on the series, it is too soon to conclude that rises over the past two months signal a resuming upward trend.

Mr. Irving

asked the Paymaster General if he will list in the Official Report the numbers of (a) employed persons and (b) self-employed persons in the Cheltenham area in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Lang

The precise information requested is not available.

Information about the numbers of employees employed in local areas can be provided for only those dates when censuses of employment are taken. The available information relating to employees in employment in the jobcentre area of Cheltenham is as follows:

Employees in Employment: Cheltenham Jobcentre Area
Date Number
June 1971 49,200
June 1972 50,500
June 1973 55,100
June 1974 60,300
June 1975 60,800
June 1976 60,200
June 1977 61,400
June 1978 62,800
September 1981 65,900

Information about the numbers self-employed in local areas is obtained from the censuses of population. The 1971 census identified 2,380 self-employed persons living in the then municipal borough of Cheltenham. The 1981 census counted 3,089 self-employed persons in the larger, current district of Cheltenham.

Sir David Price

asked the Paymaster General what are the latest unemployment figures and the appropriate percentage rate for the Winchester and Eastleigh travel-to-work area; and if he will list in the Official Report any travel-to-work areas which have lower unemployment percentages.

Mr. Lang

The following information is in the Library. On 9 January 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the Winchester and Eastleigh travel-to-work area was 4,049, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 5.5 per cent. This is the lowest rate of unemployment in any travel-to-work area in the United Kingdom.