Labour Statistics (Hansard, 17 November 1987)

§ 20. Mr. Anthony Coombs
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the numbers of 18 to 25-year-olds in employment.

§ Mr. Cope
The number of young people aged 18 to 24 years inclusive in employment in June 1987 is provisionally estimated to be 4,359,000.

§ 27. Sir John Farr
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of unemployed persons in the Leicester travel-to-work area at the latest available date.

§ Mr. Lee
On 8 October 1987 the number of unemployed claimants in the Leicester travel-to-work areas was 21,488.

§ 28. Mr. O'Brien
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the trend of unemployment levels in the Yorkshire and Humberside travel-to-work areas compared with all other travel-to-work areas in the English regions and in particular areas having assisted areas status.

§ Mr. Lee
The number of unemployed claimants in the Yorkshire and Humberside region has decreased by 44,500, or 14.3 per cent. over the last year. The comparable figures for the rest of England are 375,500, and 16.6 per cent. and for all areas with assisted areas in England are 145,200 and 14 per cent.

§ 29. Mr. Flannery
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are at present unemployed; and how many of these are under 21 years of age.

§ Mr. Lee
On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 2,751,384. The numbers aged under 21 years are not separately identified, however those aged under 20 numbered 374,445.

§ 31. Mr. Kirkhope
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the recent labour market statistics.
510W

§ Mr. Lee
The latest labour market statistics show a continuing sharp fall in unemployment in all regions. The unemployment rate fell below 10 per cent. in October and the seasonally adjusted total was the lowest for five years and nearly half a million lower than in June 1986. Vacancies have continued to rise and employment was up by 372,000 in the year to September contributing to a total of more than 1.3 million extra jobs since June 1983.

§ 39. Mrs. Peacock
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of women in employment.

§ Mr. Lee
In June 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 10,337,000 females in the employed labour force in Great Britain. This represents an increase of 931,000 since June 1983. The figures are adjusted for the effects of seasonal variation. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and Her Majesty's forces.

§ 40. Mr. Duffy
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the work force was unemployed, on the basis of the last recorded figures, in the Sheffield travel-to-work area.

§ Mr. Lee
On 8 October 1987 number of unemployed claimants in the Sheffield travel-to-work area expressed as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed was 14.6 per cent.

§ 41. Mr. Rooker
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of male and female unemployment in Birmingham.

§ Mr. Lee
On 8 October 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the Birmingham travel-to-work area expressed as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed was 16 per cent. for males and 9.6 per cent. for females.

§ 48. Mr. Cox
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of men over the age of 50 years who were registered as unemployed in the greater London area on 31 October.

§ Mr. Lee
On 8 October 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of unemployed male claimants aged 50 years and over, in the greater Londo n area was 47,486.

§ 49. Mr. Amess
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of people currently unemployed in the Basildon constituency; and what were the figures for the same period in each of the last four years.

§ Mr. Lee
Following is the available information. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the parliamentary constituency of Basildon in October of each year since 1984. The comparison is affected by the change in the comparison of the unemployment statistics in March 1986.

Number

October 1984 6,972

October 1985 6,492

October 1986 6,159

October 1987 4,877

§ 53. Mr. Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of job vacancies registered at jobcentres in the south-west region.
511W

§ Mr. Lee
On 2 October 1987 the number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in the south-west region was 22,081.

§ 57. Mr. Neil Hamilton
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds in employment.

§ Mr. Lee
The information is not available in the form requested. It is estimated that in January 1987 1,095,000 people in Great Britain aged 16 to 18 at 31 August the previous year were in employment outside YTS; however, this figure also includes small numbers who were unemployed but not claiming benefit, who were neither seeking work nor claiming benefit, or who were on Government schemes outside YTS, and it excludes some people in full-time education who also had some paid employment. Jobs for young people are also available within YTS. About one in 10 YTS trainees have employed status and also benefit from the quality training YTS provides.

§ 73. Mr. Steen
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of unfilled vacancies in each of the jobcentres covering the South Hams constituency.

§ Mr. Lee
The South Hams parliamentary constituency is covered by the Totnes, Dartmouth and Kingsbridge jobcentres, where there were 120, 51 and 83 unfilled vacancies respectively on 2 October 1987.

§ 80. Mr. Andrew McKay
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of people in employment.

Part-time¹ employees

Thousands, Spring 1986

16–29 30–49 50 and over All ages

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

Region

Northern 10 49 13 144 11 55 34 248

Yorkshire and Humberside 28 84 15 240 16 114 59 437

East Midlands 19 57 14 200 18 88 51 345

East Anglia 12 38 ²— 96 ²— 35 27 169

South East 102 254 42 714 82 371 226 1,338

South West 18 71 16 210 24 90 58 371

West Midlands 25 71 19 232 18 99 62 403

North West 33 90 21 294 19 125 73 508

Wales 11 43 11 123 ²— 51 32 217

Scotland 20 65 13 209 16 112 49 386

Northern Ireland ²— 15 ²— 51 2 21 15 87

United Kingdom 284 836 173 2,511 228 1,162 685 4,509

¹Basic usual hours (i.e. excluding paid and unpaid overtime and meal breaks) of 30 hours or less per week. Estimates exclude those employees who did not state hours worked.

² Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.

	Number
October 1984	6,972
October 1985	6,492
October 1986	6,159
October 1987	4,877

Part-time¹ employees
Thousands, Spring 1986
	16–29	30–49	50 and over	All ages
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
Region
Northern	10	49	13	144	11	55	34	248
Yorkshire and Humberside	28	84	15	240	16	114	59	437
East Midlands	19	57	14	200	18	88	51	345
East Anglia	12	38	²—	96	²—	35	27	169
South East	102	254	42	714	82	371	226	1,338
South West	18	71	16	210	24	90	58	371
West Midlands	25	71	19	232	18	99	62	403
North West	33	90	21	294	19	125	73	508
Wales	11	43	11	123	²—	51	32	217
Scotland	20	65	13	209	16	112	49	386
Northern Ireland	²—	15	²—	51	2	21	15	87
United Kingdom	284	836	173	2,511	228	1,162	685	4,509
¹Basic usual hours (i.e. excluding paid and unpaid overtime and meal breaks) of 30 hours or less per week. Estimates exclude those employees who did not state hours worked.
² Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.