HC Deb 15 May 1987 vol 116 cc445-8W
Mr. Allen McKay

asked the Paymaster General if he will give the gross figure of persons claiming unemployment benefit and the percentage of the work force which this represents in (a) Yorkshire and Humberside, (b) Barnsley metropolitan district area and (c) Barnsley West and Penistone for each month since May 1979.

Mr. Trippier

Following is the available information which is also in the Library. The table shows the numbers of unemployed people claiming benefits at unemployment benefit offices who are resident in the Barnsley local authority district and the Barnsley, West and Penistone parliamentary constituency in each month from June 1983. The comparisons are affected by changes in the coverage of the data. Unemployment rates cannot be produced because equivalent estimates of the work force are not available for these areas. A consistent series of the numbers of unemployed claimants in the Yorkshire and Humberside region for each month since May 1979, adjusted for discontinuities and seasonality, are also given, together with the corresponding unemployment rates expressed as a percentage of the working population.

Unemployed Claimants—Unadjusted
Barnsley Local authority district Barnsley West and Penistone Parliamentary Constituency
1983
June 12,953 3,956
July 12,935 4,025
August 13,023 4,092
September 14,561 4,589
October 14,078 4,478
November 13,834 4,378
December 13,831 4,375
1984
January 14,204 4,474
February 14,468 4,491
March 14,393 4,467
April 14,320 4,427
May 14,623 4,470
June 14,532 4,425
July 14,518 4,525
August 14,566 4,547
September 16,138 5,096
October 15,500 4,868
November 15,284 4,792
December 15,052 4,729
1985
January 15,478 4,900
February 15,378 4,931
March 15,171 4,841
April 15,255 4,811
May 15,140 4,757
June 14,995 4,723
July 15,426 4,906
August 15,844 5,020
September 17,550 5,632
October 16,878 5,407
November 16,739 5,344
December 16,897 5,457
1986
January 18,479 5,963
February 18,299 5,968
March 18,245 5,927
April 18,872 6,171
May 18,620 6,074
June 18,241 5,908
July 18,055 5,874
August 17,925 5,838
September 18,506 6,035
October 17,890 5,826
November 17,711 5,839
December 17,701 5,852
1987
January 18,179 6,016
February 17,746 5,859
March 17,626 5,856
April 17,392 5,812

Yorkshire and Humberside unemployment adjusted for discontinuities and seasonality
Number Rate
1979
May 100,700 4.4
June 98,500 4.3
July 98,800 4.3
August 97,500 4.3
September 96,500 4.2
October 97,600 4.3
November 96,200 4.2
December 97,600 4.3
1980
January 99,300 4.3
February 103,900 4.5
March 109,100 4.8
April 114,000 5.0
May 117,800 5.1
June 123,800 5.4
July 131,100 5.7
August 140,600 6.1
September 148,200 6.5
October 157,000 6.8
November 169,100 7.4
December 178,200 7.8
1981
January 185,900 8.2
February 192,200 8.5
March 198,800 8.8
April 204,200 9.0
May 209,900 9.2
June 213,300 9.4
July 217,000 9.6
August 217,600 9.6
September 224,400 9.9
October 226,600 10.0
November 228,800 10.1
December 230,000 10.1
1982
January 231,900 10.3
February 232,200 10.3
March 232,500 10.3
April 234,700 10.4
May 237,600 10.5
June 240,800 10.7
July 243,400 10.8
August 245,800 10.9
September 246,900 10.9
October 251,800 11.1
November 254,700 11.3
December 257,700 11.4
1983
January 158,700 11.5
February 259,200 11.5
March 260,900 11.6
April 262,600 11.7
May 263,400 11.7
June 266,100 11.9
July 265,600 11.8
August 265,600 11.8
September 266,100 11.9
October 264,400 11.8
November 265,100 11.8
December 266,300 11.9
1984
January 267,600 11.7
February 270,500 11.9
March 271,100 11.9
April 271,200 11.9
May 272,900 12.0
June 273,300 12.0
July 275,500 12.1
August 276,600 12.1

Number Rate
September 280,400 12.3
October 282,700 12.4
November 283,300 12.4
December 283,100 12.4
1985
January 283,900 12.2
February 285,700 12.2
March 286,200 12.3
April 288,700 12.4
May 288,400 12.3
June 287,100 12.3
July 288,200 12.3
August 289,400 12.4
September 290,100 12.4
October 290,400 12.4
November 291,900 12.5
December 295,400 12.6
1986
January 298,400 12.6
February 299,100 12.7
March 302,100 12.8
April 301,800 12.8
May 303,200 12.8
June 305,100 12.9
July 304,700 12.9
August 304,500 12.9
September 302,300 12.8
October 300,400 12.7
November 298,400 12.6
December 296,500 12.5
1987
January 295,800 12.5
February 292,100 12.4
March 293,800 12.4
April 290,100 12.3