Labour Statistics (Hansard, 27 June 1988)

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the risk of unemployment by social or occupational class.

§ Mr. Lee
Preliminary estimates from the 1987 labour force survey of (i) the previous occupation of those unemployed persons who left their last job less than three years earlier and (ii) the proportion of the economically active in each occupation group these represent, are shown in the table:66W

Unemployed Persons¹ in Great Britain in Spring 1987 by Occupation

Unemployed (thousands) As proportion of Economically Active (Per cent.)

Total² 2,789 10.3

of which:

Persons who left job within last 3 years ³1,741 6.7

of which: occupation in previous job

Codot Major Group

1. Professional and related supporting management and administration 43 2.9

2. Professional and related in education, welfare and health 78 3.5

3. Literary, artistic and sports 20 6.1

4. Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields 28 2.6

5. Management 90 3.6

6. Clerical and related 214 5.0

7. Selling 136 7.5

8. Security and protective service 29 6.4

9. Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal services 250 8.1

10. Farming fishing and related 56 11.5

11. Processing, making, repairing and related (excluding metal and electrical) 139 8.0

12. Processing, making repairing and related (metal and electrical) 176 7.0

13. Painting, repetitive assembly, product inspecting, packaging and related 133 13.3

14. Construction, mining and related NIE 149 15.0

15. Transport operating, materials moving and related 135 8.4

16. Miscellaneous 59 21.2

Broad Grouping

Managerial and professional 260 3.4

Clerical and related 204 5.0

Other non-manual 142 7.0

Craft and similar occupations 336 7.8

General labourers 51 22.0

Other manual occupations 746 9.8

¹ Those without a job who were looking for work in the survey reference week.

² Includes 1,048,000 who had never had a job or left their last job three or more years ago (not asked about previous occupation).

³ Includes 4,000 who had had a job within last 3 years but did not state that occupation.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the fall in unemployment in the year up to the publication of the labour force survey of 1987.

§ Mr. Lee
The information was included in an article on page 144 of the March 1988 edition ofEmployment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the fact that unemployment figures are based on the number receiving unemployment benefit, he will retitle the unemployment figures in theEmployment Gazette and other official publications the "unemployment benefit" figures.

§ Mr. Lee
The monthly unemployment figures are based on the records of those claiming benefit at unemployment 67W benefit offices. This was explained when the series was introduced in November 1982. A description of the coverage of the figures is also given in the regular monthly press release issued by my Department and in the definitions given in the Employment Gazette.

The number of factory inspectors in post at area offices on 1 April of each year

Area location 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

South West 32 30 28 27 26 26 26 29

South 30 28 27 27 29 26 27.5 27.5

South East 25 25 25 23 22 25 24 26.5

London North West¹ 30 26 24 22 21 — — —

London North 25 23 22 22 20 36 35.5 36

London South 30 37 34 32 28 40 35 34

East Anglia 24.5 25.5 27 26 25 24.5 25 21.5

North Home Counties 26 21 20 19 20 22 23 24.5

East Midlands 29 26 24 23 23 23 25 26

West Midlands 44 44 40 37 33 32 32 32

Wales 33 31 29 23 23 23 23 23

Marches 28 27 25 23 22 24 25.5 23.5

North Midlands 31 30 29 26 25 27 23 23

South Yorkshire 33 31 28 29.5 29 27 24.5 24

West and North Yorkshire 37 35 29 31 29 35.5 33.5 31.5

Greater Manchester 34.5 34.5 33 33 32 33.5 28.5 30.5

Merseyside 29 28 26 25 27 25 26 25

North West 26.5 30.5 28 27 25 28 24 23

North East 38 37 33 32 31 31 30 31

Scotland East 33 31 32 27 25 26 23 23

Scotland West 34 33 30 28 26 27 25 25

¹ The London North West office is no longer regarded as a separate area office. Factory inspectors located there are outstationed from either the London North or London South area offices.

Unemployed Persons¹ in Great Britain in Spring 1987 by Occupation
	Unemployed (thousands)	As proportion of Economically Active (Per cent.)
Total²	2,789	10.3
of which:
Persons who left job within last 3 years	³1,741	6.7
of which: occupation in previous job
Codot Major Group
1. Professional and related supporting management and administration	43	2.9
2. Professional and related in education, welfare and health	78	3.5
3. Literary, artistic and sports	20	6.1
4. Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields	28	2.6
5. Management	90	3.6
6. Clerical and related	214	5.0
7. Selling	136	7.5
8. Security and protective service	29	6.4
9. Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal services	250	8.1
10. Farming fishing and related	56	11.5
11. Processing, making, repairing and related (excluding metal and electrical)	139	8.0
12. Processing, making repairing and related (metal and electrical)	176	7.0
13. Painting, repetitive assembly, product inspecting, packaging and related	133	13.3
14. Construction, mining and related NIE	149	15.0
15. Transport operating, materials moving and related	135	8.4
16. Miscellaneous	59	21.2
Broad Grouping
Managerial and professional	260	3.4
Clerical and related	204	5.0
Other non-manual	142	7.0
Craft and similar occupations	336	7.8
General labourers	51	22.0
Other manual occupations	746	9.8
¹ Those without a job who were looking for work in the survey reference week.
² Includes 1,048,000 who had never had a job or left their last job three or more years ago (not asked about previous occupation).
³ Includes 4,000 who had had a job within last 3 years but did not state that occupation.

The number of factory inspectors in post at area offices on 1 April of each year
Area location	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987
South West	32	30	28	27	26	26	26	29
South	30	28	27	27	29	26	27.5	27.5
South East	25	25	25	23	22	25	24	26.5
London North West¹	30	26	24	22	21	—	—	—
London North	25	23	22	22	20	36	35.5	36
London South	30	37	34	32	28	40	35	34
East Anglia	24.5	25.5	27	26	25	24.5	25	21.5
North Home Counties	26	21	20	19	20	22	23	24.5
East Midlands	29	26	24	23	23	23	25	26
West Midlands	44	44	40	37	33	32	32	32
Wales	33	31	29	23	23	23	23	23
Marches	28	27	25	23	22	24	25.5	23.5
North Midlands	31	30	29	26	25	27	23	23
South Yorkshire	33	31	28	29.5	29	27	24.5	24
West and North Yorkshire	37	35	29	31	29	35.5	33.5	31.5
Greater Manchester	34.5	34.5	33	33	32	33.5	28.5	30.5
Merseyside	29	28	26	25	27	25	26	25
North West	26.5	30.5	28	27	25	28	24	23
North East	38	37	33	32	31	31	30	31
Scotland East	33	31	32	27	25	26	23	23
Scotland West	34	33	30	28	26	27	25	25
¹ The London North West office is no longer regarded as a separate area office. Factory inspectors located there are outstationed from either the London North or London South area offices.