§ Mr. Marlowasked the Paymaster General if he will tabulate by Manpower Services Commission region the numbers of long-term unemployed who have left the register since the restart programme began; and what was the figure for the equivalent period in 1985.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe following table gives the number of claimants by Manpower Services Commission region who ceased to claim as unemployed and who had been unemployed for over one year, between 10 July 1986 and 11 December 1986. The comparable figures for 1985 are for the period 11 July 1985 to 12 December 1985. This information is also in the Library.
The comparison of numbers of people who ceased to claim between July and December this year and the corresponding period last year is influenced by a whole variety of factors, including changes in the economic climate, as well as by programmes such as restart.
Manpower Services Commission Region Number of claimants July to December 1985 Number of claimants July to December 1986 South East 34,504 38,828 London 38,324 44,809 South West 19,241, 21,289 West Midlands 34,376 38,027 East Midlands 29,434 33,798 Yorkshire and Humberside 30,242 34,296 North West 45,550 52,584 North 20,570 24,493 Wales 18,113 21,503 Scotland 33,244 34,620 TOTAL 303,598 344,247 These figures are drawn from computerised records. Equivalent figures for claimants with clerical records are not available.