HC Deb 16 June 1989 vol 154 cc570-1W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in theOfficial Report (a) the average number, and (b) the average percentage of the unemployed who have been unemployed for (i) 0-six months, (ii) over six months, (iii) six months to one year, (iv) over one year, (v) one to two years, (vi) over two years, (vii) two to three years, (viii) over three years, (ix) three to four years, (x) over four years, (xi) four to five years, and (xii) over five years, in each year 1979 to 1988 and April 1989.

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 13 June 1989]: The information is available from the Library. The table shows, for the United Kingdom, the annual average number of unemployed claimants, and these as a percentage of the total in each duration category requested, for the years 1983 to 1988 and the corresponding information for April 1989. Information for the years 1979 to 1982 is only available at disproportionate cost.

11983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 April 1989
percentage of total 19.1 17.7 16.4 15.4 15.4 13.6 13.4
Over 24 months 523,799 671,596 793,514 845,019 796,948 661,587 491,666
percentage of total 17.5 21.3 24.2 25.5 26.4 27.3 26.1
24–36 months 263,665 302,447 299,044 274,968 233,989 181,730 121.382
percentage of total 8.8 9.6 9.1 8.3 7.8 7.5 6.4
Over 36 months 260,133 369,149 494,469 570,050 562,959 479,857 370.284
percentage of total 8.7 11.7 15.1 17.2 18.7 19.8 19.7
36–48 months 143,302 186,590 205,688 194,894 162,775 121,320 89,815
percentage of total 4.8 5.9 6.3 5.9 5.4 5.0 4.8
Over 48 months 116,831 182,559 288,780 375,156 400,183 358,536 280,469
percentage of total 3.9 5.8 8.8 11.3 13.3 14.8 14.9
48–60 months 50,940 92,462 139,600 147,500 128,096 93,523 63,862
percentage of total 1.7 2.9 4.3 4.5 4.2 3.9 3.4
Over 60 months 65,890 90,097 149,180 227,656 272,087 265,013 216,607
percentage of total 2.2 2.9 4.5 6.9 9.0 10.9 11.5
Note: Annual averages are the averages of the four months January, April, July and October. Figures are individually rounded and therefore may not appear to balance.
1 Average of two months, July and October.