Claimants (Hansard, 12 November 1991)

§ Mr. Leighton
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed claimants aged between 18 and 25 years have been unemployed for six months or more.

Mr. Jackson
Unemployment figures by age and duration are calculated on a quarterly basis. In July 1991, the latest available date, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom aged 18 to 24 years who had been unemployed for six months or more was 263,274.

§ Mr. Leighton
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the unemployment claimant count has risen since October 1990.

Mr. Jackson
Between October 1990 and September 1991, (the latest date for which figures are available), United Kingdom seasonally adjusted unemployment rose by 755,800.

§ Mr. Leighton
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to computerise the matching of claimant details with job vacancy detail.

Mr. Jackson
Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service Executive Agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

§ Mr. Leighton
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in the number of unemployed claimants over the last 12 months; and what has been the percentage increase in claimant advisers during the same period.

Mr. Jackson
In the 12 months to September 1991, the total number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom, on the unadjusted basis, has increased by 46 per cent. Over the same period the number of claimant advisers, whose main function is to help longer term unemployed people, has increased by almost 24 per cent.