HC Deb 07 December 1987 vol 124 c31W
Mr. Winnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in May 1979; and what is the number currently unemployed.

Mr. Lee

The following information is in the Library. On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom, excluding school leavers and adjusted for seasonality was 2,714,900. The corresponding figure for May 1979 was 1,152,000.