HC Deb 18 April 1989 vol 151 cc150-4W
31. Mr. Evennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are registered as unemployed in Greater London; and what was the comparable figure 10 years ago.

Mr. Nicholls

In March 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in Greater London, was 230,200, compared with 115,700 in March 1979 on a consistent basis.

34. Mr. Dover

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average monthly fall in the number of unemployed during the last quarter for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In the quarter ending March 1989, the average fall in unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 39,800 per month. Unemployment has now fallen over 32 consecutive months by 1,215,100 since July 1986, the longest and largest sustained fall since the war.

38. Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of people employed in a part-time capacity within the employment areas of South Yorkshire; and what was the comparable position 10 years ago.

Mr. Lee

The available information on a comparable basis is from censuses of employment taken in September 1981 and September 1984. The table gives the available information for each of the travel-to-work areas in South Yorkshire.

More up-to-date estimates from the September 1987 census of employment will become available later this year.

Employees in part-time employment1 in the travel-to-work areas in South Yorkshire
Travel-to-work areas September 1981 September 1984
Barnsley 14,400 13,700
Doncaster 17,300 18,600
Rotherham and Mexborough 17,500 19,900
Sheffield2 53,400 56,200
1 Excludes the self-employed and members of Her Majesty's forces; part-time workers are defined as those working for not more than 30 hours a week.
2 Not wholly within South Yorkshire.

For the county, the September 1981 and September 1984 figures for employees in part-time employment were 100,000 and 105,800 respectively.

44. Mr. Richard Shepherd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average monthly fall in the number of unemployed in the west midlands during the last quarter for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In the quarter ending March 1989, the average fall in unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the west midlands was 6,300 per month. Unemployment in the west midlands has fallen by 67,800 or 27.2 per cent. over the last 12 months.

47. Mr. Alison: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of employment in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the Yorkshire and Humberside region was 2,160,000. This represents an increase of 169,000 or 8 per cent. since December 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

52. Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged 16 to 18 years were jobless in June 1983 and March 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In March 1989 there were 2,457 people under 18 in the United Kingdom claiming unemployment-related benefits. There were an estimated 190,800 in June 1983.

The recent extension of the guaranteed offer of a YTS place to all those aged under 18 not in full-time education or employment means there is now no need for these young people to be unemployed. Consequently, only a few now remain entitled to unemployment-related benefits following the associated changes from September 1988 in the benefit regulations for people aged under 18.

57. Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of employment in the west midlands.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the west midlands region was 2,471,000. This represents an increase of 298,000 or 14 per cent. since December 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

60. Mr. William Powell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the fall in unemployment in the east midlands during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In the 12 months to March 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the east midlands fell by 34,500 or 22.6 per cent. on a consistent basis.

61. Mr. Andrew MacKay

To ask the Secretary of St ate for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

Mr. Nicholls

In March 1989 unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,918,100, the lowest for more than eight years on a consistent basis. Unemployment has now fallen for 32 months running, giving the longest and largest continuous fall since the war.

64. Mr. Quentin Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of employment in the east midlands.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the east midlands region was 1,844,000. This represents an increase of 221,000 or 14 per cent. since December 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

67. Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the employment trends in the east midlands for 1989.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the east midlands was 1,844,000. My Department does not produce forecasts or estimate trends.

69. Mr. Fishburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of long-term unemployment in London.

Mr. Nicholls

In January 1989 the number of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for one year or more in Greater London was 98,786, a fall of 58,202 or 37.1 per cent. compared with two years ago. This comparison is affected slightly by the change in the coverage of the count from September 1988 due to the new benefit regulations affecting those aged under 18.

72. Miss Emma Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the rate of the fall in unemployment in the last 12 months in the south-west; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In March 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the south-west was 104,600, a fall of 40,700 or 28 per cent. since March 1988 on a consistent basis.

81. Mr. Devlin

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of employment in the north of England.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the northern region was 1,297,000. This represents an increase of 128,000 or 11 per cent. since December 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

89. Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of long-term unemployed in June 1987 and to date.

Mr. Nicholls

Unemployment figures by duration are calculated on a quarterly basis. In January 1989, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for one year or more was 821,419, compared with 1,238,288 in July 1987—a fall of 416,869 or 33.7 per cent. The comparison is slightly affected by seasonal influences as well as the change in the coverage of the count from September 1988 due to new benefit regulations affecting those young people aged under 18 years.

94. Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest total for the numbers of employed and self-employed people in East Anglia.

100. Mr. Patrick Thompson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of employment in East Anglia.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in East Anglia was 1,023,000 of which 138,000 were self-employed. This represents an increase of 229,000 or 29 per cent. since December 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

107. Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people at present are unemployed in the west midlands, expressed as a percentage of the numbers unemployed in May 1979.

Mr. Nicholls

In March 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the west midlands was 180.8 per cent. of the level in May 1979 on a consistent basis.

113. Mr. Knapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase in the number of self-employed in the west midlands since June 1987; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were an estimated 248,000 self-employed in the west midlands region. This represents an increase of 39,000 or 19 per cent. since June 1987.

This self-employment estimate incorporates the latest LFS results, and will be subject to sampling error.

120. Mr. Mans

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of employment in the north-west.

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the north-west region was 2,676,000. This represents an increase of 101,000 or 4 per cent. since December 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

115. Mr. French

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged 18 to 24 years were jobless in June 1983 and March 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

Unemployment figures by age are compiled on a quarterly basis. In January 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom aged 18 to 24 years was 595,734, compared with 966,375 in July 1983—a fall of 370,632 or 38.4 per cent. The comparison is affected by seasonal influences and slightly by the change in the compilation of the count in March 1986 to remove over-recording.