§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up an inquiry into the accuracy of the recent unemployment figures in respct of the Pembroke constituency and for individual wards within that constituency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI am not aware of any inaccuracy in the unemployment figures for the Pembroke parliamentary constituency.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up an inquiry into the accuracy of the recent unemployment figures in respect of the Newport, East and Newport, West constituencies and for individual wards within those constituencies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsDelay in using new postcodes for Newport has, in recent months, caused some unemployed claimants to be assigned, for counting purposes, to the wrong electoral ward. This affected the distribution of claimants between the parliamentary constituencies of Newport, East and Newport, West, but not the overall total for the Newport travel-to-work area nor, therefore, the unemployment rate. Starting with the September figure this error has now been corrected. I see no need to set up an inquiry.