HC Deb 23 January 1989 vol 145 cc421-2W
Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the level of unemployment, expressed as(a) a percentage and (b) in numbers of claimants for (i) the Hexham constituency, (ii) the Newcastle upon Tyne travel to work area, (iii) the Greater London travel to work area and (iv) England and Wales for the most recent month for which figures are available and for February 1985;

(2) if he will estimate the number of unfilled vacancies expressed as (a) a percentage and (b) in numbers of claimants for (i) the Hexham constituency, (ii) the

Table B
Unemployment claimants for December 1988 and February 1985
February 1985 December 1988
level lrate level lrate
Newcastle TTWA 65,551 17.5 45,293 120
Greater London TTWA 370,377 10.7 232,323 6.7
Hexham TTWA 1,537 9.8 987 6.0
Hexham PCA 2,479 n/a 1,562 n/a
England and Wales 2,843,546 13.0 1,675,587 7.7
1 Unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of claimants plus employees in employment only.

The figures are affected by the change in the compilation of the count in March 1986 to reduce Newcastle upon Tyne travel to work area, (iii) the Greater London travel to work area and (iv) England and Wales for the most recent month for which figures are available and for February 1985;.

Mr. Lee

The following is the available information. Table A gives the total unfilled vacancies notified to jobcentres at December 1988 and February 1985. Table B shows unemployment level and percentage rates for December 1988 and February 1985. It is not meaningful to calculate a ratio of unemployed claimants to unfilled vacancies at jobcentres, since only about a third of all vacancies in the economy are notified to jobcentres.

Table A
Unfilled vacancies at jobcentres for December 1988 and February
1985
February 1985 December 1988
level level
Newcastle TTWA 1,851 3,134
Greater London TTWA 19,726 23,712
Hexham TTWA 79 125
England and Wales 122,877 202,614

over-recording and by the change in the coverage from September 1988 due to the introduction of new benefit regulations for young people aged under 18.