HC Deb 05 December 1989 vol 163 cc186-92W
18. Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in unemployment levels during the last year; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Fowler

In the 12 months to October 1989 seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom has fallen by about 484,000 or 22.4 per cent. The percentage fall in unemployment has been larger, nationally and in the majority of regions, in the past year than in either of the previous two years.

82. Mr. Carrington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current number of people in employment in the United Kingdom, and in other Overseas Economic Community Development countries.

Mr. Nicholls

In June 1989 the United Kingdom civilian workforce in employment stood at 26,035,000—12 per cent. higher than in June 1983. The following table shows civilian employment in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, where the information is available, over the same period.

Civilian Employment in O.E.C.D. Countries
Thousands
Country 1983 Q2 1989 Q2 Absolute change Percentage change
Belgium n/a n/a n/a n/a
Denmark n/a n/a n/a n/a
Germany 24,795 27,075 2,280 9.2
Greece n/a n/a n/a n/a
Spain 11,020 12,208 1,188 10.8
France 121,229 121,264 35 0.2
Ireland n/a n/a n/a n/a
Italy 20,390 20,674 284 1.4
Luxembourg n/a n/a n/a n/a
Netherlands n/a n/a n/a n/a
Portugal 4,142 n/a n/a n/a
United States of America 99,945 117,290 17,345 17.4

Country 1983 Q2 1989 Q2 Absolute change Percentage change
Canada 10,699 12,445 1,746 16.3
Japan 57,290 61,181 3,891 6.8
Australia 6,254 7,696 1,442 23.1
Austria 23,146 23,335 189 6.0
New Zealand n/a n/a n/a n/a
Finland 2,368 2,475 107 4.5
Iceland n/a n/a n/a n/a
Norway 1,907 2,018 111 5.8
Sweden 4,242 4,463 221 5.2
Switzerland 3,149 3,559 410 13.0
Turkey n/a n/a n/a n/a
United Kingdom 23,291 26,035 2,744 11.8

Employees and self-employed—Great Britain mates Spring estimates
Thousands
1979 1988
Employees Self-employed Employees Self-employed
All Of which: 22,432 1,778 21,422 3,143
1. Employed in manual occupations1 11,934 747 9,599 1,403
Employed in non-manual occupations1 10,498 1,031 11,824 1,740
2. Males 13,302 1,442 11,728 2,358
Females 9,130 337 9,694 785
3. Aged 16 and 17 785 3 683 11
Aged 18 or over 21,647 1,776 20,739 3,132
4. In full-time employment2 18,409 n/a 16,536 2,627
In part-time employment2 4,022 n/a 4,886 516
1 Using broad occupational groupings based on OPCS Classification of Occupations,1980.
2 Based on respondent's own assessment, not on the number of hours usually worked. In 1979, the self-employed were not asked if they worked full or part-time.
3 Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.

n/a=Not available.

105. Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

106. Mr. Sillars

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

107. Mr. Andrew Welsh

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

108. Mrs. Margaret Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

Mr. Nicholls

The table shows the 10 travel-to-work areas in which the numbers of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of the work force plus the unemployed were the lowest in October 1989.

Travel-to-work area Unemployed claimants Per cent.
Crawley 1.1
Winchester and Eastleigh 1.3
Windermere 1.3
Tunbridge Wells 1.4
Newbury 1.4
Bicester 1.5
Aylesbury and Wycombe 1.6

1 Figures refer to 1982 Q4 and 1988 Q4 as Q2 figures not available.
2Figures refer to 1983 Ql and 1989 Ql as Q2 figures not available.

Source: "Quarterly Labour Force Statistics 4/1988 and 3/1989" (OECD) except United Kingdom (ED).

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for the years 1968, 1978 and 1988 the number of employee and self-employed workers divided into manual and non-manual, male and female, adult and juvenile, and full-time and part-time.

Mr. Nicholls

Data for each of the groups requested is only available on a comparable basis from the labour force survey (LFS). Estimates from the 1988 and 1979 LFS (the earliest year for which comparable estimates are available) are shown in the table.

Travel-to-work area Unemployed claimants Per cent.
Guildford and Aldershot 1.6
Cirencester 1.6
Blandford 1.6

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of employed and self-employed people in Britain.

Mr. Eggar

In June 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 21,932,000 employees in employment in Great Britain and 3,050,000 self-employed.

98. Mr. Evennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of registered unemployment in Bexley and what was the figure for 1988 and 1987.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989, the number of unemployed claimants in the local authority area of Bexley was 3,661 compared with 4,866 in October 1988 and 6,603 in October 1987. These figures are slightly affected by the change in benefit regulations affecting under-18-year-olds in September 1988.

88. Mr. Andrew MacKay

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

104. Mr. Riddick

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the unemployment change since June 1986; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989, the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,674,000, compared with 3,130,200 in June 1986, a fall of 46.5 per cent. Unemployment has now fallen for 39 months running, and is now at its lowest for nine years.

77. Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many travel-to-work areas, on the most recent date for which figures are available, in south-east England, have an unemployment rate(a) over 10 per cent., (b) between five per cent. and 10 per cent. and (c) below five per cent.

Mr. Nicholls

Of the 39 travel-to-work areas in the south-east, 33 had an unemployment rate of less than 5 per cent. in October 1989 and the remainder had rates of between 5 and 10 per cent.

75. Mr. Donald Thompson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and in other European Community countries; and if he will make a statement.

91. Mr. Roger King

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and the average in the European Community.

Mr. Nicholls

In September 1989, the latest comparable date, unemployment in the United Kingdom was 6.3 per cent. compared to an EEC average of 9.1 per cent. The following table shows a full comparison. Over the past two years the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom has fallen faster than in any other major European country.

Unemployment rates for comparison between EEC countries Seasonally adjusted September 1989
Rate
Luxembourg 2.0
West Germany 5.6
Portugal 5.7
United Kingdom 6.3
Denmark 7.4
Greece 17.4
Belgium 9.6
Netherlands 10.0
France 10.1
Italy 11.0
Spain 16.4
Ireland 17.0
EEC average 9.1
1 April 1987.

69. Mr. Neale

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the United Kingdom in May 1983 and October 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The information is not available for the months requested. The work force in employment in the United Kingdom was 23,613,000 in June 1983. It increased by 2,730,000 to stand at 26,343,000, the highest level ever, in June 1989.

57. Mr. Ashton

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of male unemployment in the Bassetlaw constituency.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989 the number of male unemployed claimants in the Bassetlaw parliamentary constituency was 2,283.

55. Mr. Kirkhope

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

Mr. Nicholls

In June 1989 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom stood at 26,343,000, the highest level on record. This represents an increase of 479,000 or 1.9 per cent. since June 1988. The rising trend has now continued for six years.

56. Mr. Brando-Bravo

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in the United Kingdom in May 1983, September 1983, March 1986 and October 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The table shows the levels of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom for May 1983, September 1983, March 1986, and October 1989. The level of unemployment in October 1989 is the lowest for nine years.

United Kingdom unemployment, seasonally adjusted
Number of unemployed claimants Rate1per cent
May 1983 2,785,300 10.5
September 1983 2,815,700 10.6
March 1986 3,126,600 11.2
October 1989 1,674,000 5.9
1 Number of unemployed as a percentage of the estimated total workforce.

47. Mr. Moate

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in June 1987 and October 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,674,000 compared with 2,857,200 in June 1987, a fall of 41.4 per cent. Unemployment is now at its lowest level for nine years.

31. Mr. Churchill

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

40. Mr. Hind

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the reduction of unemployment in the north-west since June 1986.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989 the level of unemployment seasonally adjusted, in the north-west was 245,500 compared with 427,400 in June 1986, a fall of 181,900 or 42.6 per cent.

24. Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

Mr. Nicholls

In August 1989, the latest comparable date, the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom measured on the agreed international basis was lower than in Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Greece and Ireland. Over the past two years the United Kingdom unemployment rate has fallen faster than the rate in any other major industrialised country.

25. Mr. Wood

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the seasonally adjusted unemployment figures last showed an increase in the number of people out of work: and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The seasonally adjusted unemployment figures last showed an increase in July 1986. Since that date unemployment has fallen by about 1½ million or 47 per cent. This is the longest and largest sustained fall on record, and unemployment is now at its lowest level for nine years.

22. Mr. Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of people in employment in the United Kingdom and in the other member countries of the European Community.

Mr. Nicholls

In 1987, the latest year for which comparable information is available for all European Community countries, there were 24.8 million people in civilian employment in the United Kingdom. This represents a growth of over 6 per cent. since 1983; more than three times greater than the growth rate in the rest of the EC countries combined.

50. Mr. Duffy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the latest unemployment figures for Sheffield expressed as a percentage; and what is the national average.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989, in the Sheffield travel-to-work area the number of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of the total workforce was 8.6 per cent. This compares to a rate of 5.8 per cent. in the United Kingdom.

51. Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area.

Mr. Nicholls

In October 1989, in the Liverpool travel-to-work area there were 64,235 unemployed claimants.

52. Mr. Dunn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the towns in England and Wales which now have 3 per cent. or less unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The table shows the travel-to-work areas in England and Wales where the number of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of the work force was three per cent. or less in October 1989. In the last three years the rate of unemployment has nearly halved in the United Kingdom and this improvement is seen at local level throughout the country.

Unemployed claimants
Travel-to-work area per cent.
Crawley 1.1
Winchester and Eastleigh 1.3
Windermere 1.3
Tunbridge Wells 1.4
Newbury 1.4
Bicester 1.5
Aylesbury and Wycombe 1.6

Travel-to-work area per cent.
Guildford and Aldershot 1.6
Cirencester 1.6
Blandford 1.6
Basingstoke and Alton 1.7
Chichester 1.7
Reading 1.7
Andover 1.7
Cambridge 1.7
Bury St. Edmunds 1.7
Kendal 1.8
Evesham 1.9
Oxford 1.9
Woodbridge and Leiston 2.0
Slough 2.1
Clitheroe 2.1
Worthing 2.1
Penrith 2.2
Chelmsford and Braintree 2.2
Kettering and Market Harborough 2.3
Settle 2.3
Malton 2.3
Harrogate 2.4
Devizes 2.4
Bedford 2.4
Leek 2.4
Skipton 2.4
Milton Keynes 2.4
Haverhill 2.4
Hertford and Harlow 2.4
Diss 2.4
Northampton 2.5
Watford and Luton 2.5
Eastbourne 2.5
Hitchin and Letchworth 2.5
Newtown 2.5
Heathrow 2.5
Wareham and Swanage 2.5
Ripon 2.5
Warwick 2.6
Swindon 2.6
Northallerton 2.6
Welshpool 2.6
Newmarket 2.6
Shaftesbury 2.6
Wellingborough and Rushden 2.6
Chippenham 2.6
Poole 2.7
Chard 2.7
Huntingdon and St. Neots 2.7
Ipswich 2.7
Salisbury 2.7
Cheltenham 2.7
Pickering and Helmsley 2.7
Honiton and Axminster 2.8
Banbury 2.8
Brecon 2.9
Spalding and Holbeach 2.9
Bridport 2.9
Ludlow 2.9
Stafford 2.9
Macclesfield 2.9
Yeovil 2.9
Uttoxeter and Ashbourne 2.9
South Molton 2.9
Beccles and Halesworth 3.0
Colchester 3.0
Trowbridge and Frome 3.0
Melton Mowbray 3.0
Stamford 3.0
Fakenham 3.0
Stroud 3.0
Rugby and Daventry 3.0