HC Deb 07 March 1988 vol 129 cc35-6W
Mr. Simon Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the 10 latest categories of

Numbers and Percentage of Employees in Employment1 in the Ten Industry Classes with the Largest Numbers of Employees in Swindon Travel To Work Area
Classes of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 September 1981 September 1984
Number (thousands) Percentage Number(thousands) Percentage
32 Mechanical engineering 3.3 4.0
34 Electrical and electronic engineering 3.9 4.7 5.1 5.8
35/36 Manufacturing of motor vehicles and other transport equipment 2— 2— 2— 2—
50 Construction 4.7 5.8 4.3 5.0
61 Wholesale distribution 6.7 8.2 6.6 7.7
64 Retail distribution 8.9 10.9 10.5 12.1
66 Hotels and catering 3.4 4.2 3.2 3.7
83 Business services 4.1 4.7
91 Public administration and defence 3.3 4.0 3.6 4.2
93 Education 6.2 7.6 6.1 7.0
95 Medical, other health and veterinary services 4.8 5.9 4.2 4.8
1 The figures exclude the self-employed and members of Her Majesty's Forces.
2 Figures for these industries cannot be given without disclosing confidential information relating to individual firms.

Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of people unemployed in Houghton and Washington who are(a) 18 to 21 years of age, (b) 22 to 25 years of age, (c) 26 to 30 years of age, (d) 31 to 35 years of age and (e) over 36 years of age; and what percentage of each group this represents.

Mr. Lee

The following information is in the Library. Unemployment figures are not available in the exact age bands requested, but the following table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the Houghton and Washington parliamentary constituency on 14 January 1988, for the age bands which most closely correspond with those requested. Unemployment rates by age are not calculated below national level.

Houghton and Washington Constituency—14 January 1988
Age unemployed claimants
18–19 years 642
20–24 years 1,339
25–29 years 1,003
30–34 years 867
35 years and over 3,065
Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Houghton and Washington have been unemployed for longer than a year; and what percentage of the working force this total represents.

Mr. Lee

The following information is in the Library. On 14 January 1988 the numbers of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for one year or more in the Houghton and Washington parliamentary constituency was 3,142. The smallest areas for which unemployment rates are available are travel-to-work areas.

employment in the Swindon jobcentre area in 1976, 1981 and 1986; how many were employed in each category; and what percentage of the work force these represent.

Mr. Lee

The available information on a comparable basis is given in the table. The figures are taken from the censuses of employment and relate to the Swindon travel-to-work area, as defined in 1984. Conparable jobcentre area information for 1981 and 1984 and travel-to-work area information for years prior to 1981 is not available.

Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the rate of male unemployment among(a) black and (b) white people in Brixton, Tottenham, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

Information on unemployment by ethnic group is available only at regional, metropolitan county and national level.