§ Mr. GrocottTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the total number of unemployed people in Great Britain, using the same basis of calculation that was used by his Department in May 1979.
§ Mr. LeeIt is not possible to estimate unemployment on the basis prevailing in 1979. The unemployment count was then based on those registered at jobcentres or careers offices when registration was necessary in order to qualify for benefits. The introduction of voluntary registration in October 1982, when the claimant count was introduced, and other changes since then make it impossible to know how many people would now be registering under the old procedures.
§ Mr GrocottTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the proportional increase in employment in(a) the education and health services combined and (b) the whole of the service sector since 1979.
§ Mr. LeeBetween September 1979 and September 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a net increase of 4 per cent. in the number of employees in employment in the education and health services combined in Great Britain. In the same period there was a net increase of 12 per cent. in the number of employees in employment in the service industries.
§ Mr. GrocottTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest estimate of the total number of persons unemployed in Great Britain using the Organisation for Ecomomic Co-operation and Development basis for calculation.
§ Mr. LeeThe labour force survey for the spring of 1987 gave an estimate of 2.88 million people who were without jobs, but available for and seeking work within the previous four weeks—that is, unemployed according to the ILO-OECD definition.