Unemployment (Hansard, 10 March 1992)

§ 19. Mr. Watson
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to arrest the increase in unemployment.

§ Mr. Howard
The Government's main role is to ensure a sound and stable economic framework within which enterprise can flourish and the battle against inflation can be won. There are in fact more people in work today in Scotland than there were in 1979. We also have in place the most comprehensive range of help ever made available to unemployed people.

§ 20. Mr. O'Brien
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement concerning the current levels of unemployment.

§ Mr. Howard
The present level of unemployment clearly reflects the fact that recovery is being affected by world economic circumstances. But the battle against inflation is being won, the foundations are in place for recovery and we are uniquely well placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will increasingly become available as we emerge from recession.

§ 25. Mr. Hardy
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people who would have been counted as unemployed if the methods of calculation had remained the same as those in use 12 years ago.

§ Mr. Howard
The information requested is not available. Consistent comparisons can be made over a period from the seasonally adjusted figures maintained by the Department's statisticians.