HC Deb 08 May 1989 vol 152 cc292-3W
Mr. Andrew MacKay

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

Mr. Lee

The information is available from the Library. 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 fallen for 32 months running, giving the longest and largest continuous fall since the second world war.

Mr. Bill Walker

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he can give details of the number of people in employment in Scotland and the United Kingdom in 1978 and 1988.

Mr. Lee

The information is as follows. The figures are unadjusted for the effects of seasonal variation.

Civilian work force in employment1 Work force in employment2
Scotland
December 1978 2,231,000 3
December 1988 2,211,000 3
United Kingdom
December 1978 24,998,000 25,315,000
December 1988 26,300,000 26,612,000
1 The sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work related Government training programmes.
2 The sum of the civilian work force in employment and Her Majesty's Forces. Estimates are not available for Scotland as consistent Her Majesty's Forces figures are not available below national level.
3 Not available.

Mr. Harry Greenway

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

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the south-east region was 9,014,000. This represents an increase of 1,012,000 or 13 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.

Mr. John Marshall

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

Mr. Lee

In December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in Greater London was 4,053,000. This represents an increase of 261,000 or 7 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.

Mr. Greg Knight

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies are currently registered with jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

In March 1989 the number of unfilled vacancies, seasonally adjusted, at jobcentres was 222,900. Vacancies at jobcentres do not represent the total number of vacancies in the economy. The latest research shows that only about a third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres.