HC Deb 16 February 1994 vol 237 cc823-5W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were in temporary employment; and what percentage they represented of total employees, in each region in each year since 1979.

Miss Widdecombe

For years 1984 onwards, this information is available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and can be obtained via the Quantime LFS service available in the Library.

Dr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in receipt of unemployment benefit within the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow have been unemployed for(a) more than six months, (b) more than 12 months and (c) more than two years; and if he will give these figures for (i) men and (ii) women for each month since 1992.

Miss Widdecombe

A count of the numbers of people claiming unemployment related benefits, by duration, is available on the unadjusted basis only. Information for the months of January, April, July and October can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in(a) Lewisham and (b) London were in temporary employment at the latest available date; and how many of them were women.

Miss Widdecombe

Latest estimates from the Summer 1993 Labour Force Survey show that there were 196,000 people in temporary employment in Greater London, of which 109,000 were women. No information is available on the numbers in temporary employment in Lewisham.

Sir Thomas Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his current estimate of the number of people in(a) full-time and (b) part-time employment.

Miss Widdecombe

The information is shown in the following table:

Workforce in employment: Great Britain (Seasonally adjusted)
Thousand
Full time Part time
September 1993 17,427 6,941

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 to 18-year-olds were undergoing apprenticeship training in(a) Lewisham and (b) London during each calendar year from 1990.

Miss Widdecombe

Information for the South East (which includes London) and for London separately on the estimated number of apprentices in spring of each year is given in the following table. No information is available for the Lewisham area.

Number of 16 to 18-year-olds undergoing apprenticeship training ('000s)1
Spring 1990 Spring 1991 Spring 1992 Spring 1993
South East (including London) 45 37 38 25
London 17 12 2 2

Source: Labour Force Survey

1 This is based on the number of people reporting they were doing a recognised trade apprenticeship at the time they were interviewed.

2 Less than 10,000 in cell; estimate not shown.

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the trend in the number of people in (a) Lewisham and (b) London availing themselves of youth training, including credits and training for work schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Participants on training (inc predecessor) programmes 1991–1993
13 October 1991 11 October 1992 10 October 1993
London
Youth Training (including Youth Credits) 16,900 20,700 19,500
Employment Training 12,700 14,700
Employment Action 1 4,000
High Technology National Training 35 2
Training for Work 19,000
South Thames TEC
Youth Training (including Youth Credits) 1,900 3,200 2,800
Employment Training 2,200 3,100
Employment Action 0 900
Training for Work 3,500

Source: TEC Operating Agreement (Annex J)

1 Negligible number on Employment Action. Programme began operations on 1 October 1991.

2 HTNT provision included in ET figures.

Mrs. Bridget Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the percentage of young people aged 16 to 19 years who are (i) in full-time education, (ii) in training schemes, (iii) employed and (iv) unemployed in(a) Lewisham and (b) London.

Miss Widdecombe

Latest estimates from the summer 1993 Labour Force Survey (LFS) show that of all 16 to 19-year-olds in Greater London: 59 per cent. were in full-time education; 4 per cent. were employed in Government employment and training programmes; 17 per cent. were otherwise employed and not in full-time education; and 13 per cent. were ILO unemployed and not in full-time education. The Labour Force Survey also estimates that 76 per cent. of 16 to 19-year-olds in the London borough of Lewisham were in full-time education. The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds in Lewisham sampled in the Labour Force Survey are too small to provide a reliable breakdown of their economic activity.

Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people would be registered as unemployed in January if the figures were treated on the same basis as 1978.

Miss Widdecombe

No official estimate is available and to produce one would involve speculation about economic, demographic and social changes that would serve no useful purpose.