§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any proposals to outlaw wildcat strikes.
§ Mr. NichollsProposals were published for public consultation in the Green Paper "Unofficial Action and the Law" (Cm. 821). Legislation will be announced in due course.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment which regions in England have seen a decline in the number employed in manufacturing industries from 1979 to the latest year for which figures are available; and what is the relevant percentage decrease.
§ Mr. NichollsThe following table shows the number and change in employees in employment in manufacturing industries between June 1979 and June 1989. All regions have seen a reduction over this period.
375W
Employees in the manufacturing industry Unadjusted, Thousands June 1979 June 1989 1979–1989 change percentage change South East (including London) 1,871 1,304 -567 -30.3 East Anglia 206 175 -31 -15.0 South West 439 366 -73 -16.6 West Midlands 985 665 -320 -32.5 East Midlands 606 489 -117 -19.2 Yorkshire and Humberside 708 484 -224 -31.6 North West 971 669 -301 -31.1 North 410 281 -129 -31–4
§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of unemployment in the United Kingdom, expressed as a percentage; and what is the comparable total of unemployment in the rest of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. NichollsIn September 1989, the latest comparable date, unemployment in the United Kingdom was 6.3 per cent. compared with 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 counties 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