HC Deb 25 January 1990 vol 165 cc832-3W
Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the number of people who were classified as long-term unemployed in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in January 1980, January 1983, January 1989 and for the most recent date for which figures are available;

(2) how many and what percentage of claimants in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole were classified as long-term unemployed people at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Mr. Lang

The available information is given in the table. Unemployment is analysed by duration quarterly and October 1989 is the latest date for which information is available on the number of long-term unemployed. Direct comparisons of unemployment by duration since 1979 are not possible because of the changes in October 1982 from a count of registrants at jobcentres to a count based on unemployed claimants and because of other changes in the coverage of the count.

Ward Name 1988 1989
Kilmacolm 125 90
Port Glasgow East 568 424
Port Glasgow South 470 377
Clune Brae 449 353
Port Glasgow West 307 254
Gibshill 623 458
Blairmore 339 284
Bellville 388 330
Greenock East Central 685 554
Broomhill 269 204
Ward Name 1988 1989
Gateside 259 243
Bow 444 374
Larkfield 392 311
Upper Larkfield 429 314
Greenock South 386 261
Greenock West Central 244 165
Greenock West End 175 108
Cardwell Bay 224 157
Gourock 249 207
Firth 206 159

Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of unemployment expressed as a percentage, according to the latest available figures for(a) the Greenock travel-to-work area, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole; and what were the comparable figures 10 years ago.

Mr. Lang

The table shows the level of unemployment expressed as a percentage for the Greenock travel-to-work area, Strathclyde and Scotland as a whole, calculated on the narrow base, for December 1979 and 1989.

The figures are affected by the changes in the compilation of the counts and are not directly comparable.

December 1979 December 1989
per cent. per cent.
Greenock 10.8 15.1
Strathclyde 9.5 12.1
Scotland 8.0 9.7