HC Deb 31 October 1989 vol 159 cc160-1W
17. Mr. Dickens

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of people in full-time employment.

Mr. Fowler

In June 1989 the number of people in full-time employment in Great Britain was 19,482,000, an increase of over a quarter of a million since June 1988.

26. Mr. Ken Hargreaves

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which regions of the United Kingdom the unemployment rate has fallen most rapidly over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In the 12 months to September 1989 the region which experienced the largest fall in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was west midlands which fell by 2.5 percentage points to 6 per cent. followed by the north and Wales which both fell by 2.4 percentage points to 9.3 and 7.2 per cent. respectively. This compares with a fall of 1.8 percentage points in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months to 6 per cent.

29. Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider introducing arrangements to allow independent scrutiny of unemployment statistics.

Mr. Nicholls

Details of the methodologies used to compile this Department's unemployment statistics are well documented and in the public domain.

54. Mr. Speller

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will detail the unemployment figures for the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe travel-to-work area for August 1979, August 1984 and August 1989, respectively.

Mr. Nicholls

The table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe travel-to-work area in August 1989 and August 1984, along with the number of unemployed registrants in the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe jobcentre-based travel-to-work areas in August 1979. The figures are affected by the changes in the boundaries of travel-to-work areas as well as the changes in the coverage of the unemployment count.

Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Travel to Work Area Unemployed Claimants
Total Rate1
August 1984 2,906 12.4
August 1989 1,517 6.0
Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Jobcentre Travel-to-work Areas Unemployed Registrants—August 1979
Total Rate1
Barnstaple 1,178 5.3
Ilfracombe 242 5.6
And for these areas together 1,420 5.3
1 Unemployed expressed as a percentage of employees-in-employment and the unemployed. Workforce based unemployment rates for small areas are not available prior to 1983.

62. Mr. Burt

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average monthly fall in the number of long-term unemployed aged under 25 in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

Unemployment figures by age and duration are calculated on a quarterly basis. Between July 1984 and July 1989, the number of unemployed claimants aged 18 to 24 years in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for one year or more fell by an average of 11,142 per quarter. This comparison is affected by the change in compilation of the count in March 1986 to reduce over-recording and by the change in benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds in September 1988.

68. Mr. Devlin

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the fall in unemployment in the northern region.

Mr. Nicholls

In the 12 months to September 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the north fell by 35,000 or 28.9 per cent., on a consistent basis. Unemployment in the north is now at its lowest level for nearly nine years, as it is in the country as a whole.

81. Mr. Roger King

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of job vacancies currently notified to his Department in the Birmingham travel-to-work area; and what was the figure 12 months ago.

Mr. Nicholls

In September 1989 the number of notified vacancies at jobcentres in the Birmingham travel-to-work area was 6,021 compared to 4,689 12 months ago. Vacancies at jobcentres do not represent the total number of vacancies in the economy. Research shows that nationally only about one third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres; however a recent survey covering part of the west midlands region shows that the stock of vacancies held at jobcentres in this area is about one quarter of the total.

88. Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of unemployment in the Rugby and Daventry travel-to-work area.

Mr. Nicholls

In September 1989 in the Rugby and Daventry travel-to-work area there were 1,935 unemployed claimants or 3.3 per cent. of the estimated total work force.

94. Mr. Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost in industrial disputes(a) in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available and (b) in 1978.

Mr. Nicholls

A total of 4,568,000 working days were lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the most recent 12-month period ending in August 1989. In 1978, a total of 9,405,000 working days were lost.

Mr. Oppenheim

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Derbyshire are currently unemployed; and by what percentage this figure has changed in the last year.

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 26 October 1989]: In September 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in Derbyshire was 25,859. This compares to a total of 38,275 in September 1988, a fall of 32.4 per cent.

These unadjusted unemployment figures are slightly affected by the change in benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds in September 1988.

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