§ Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the latest figures from the 1993 labour force survey for each standard United Kingdom region of the number and percentage of(a) all males, (b) all females and (c) total of those recorded as economically inactive and of working age;
(2) what is the formal definition of "economically inactive".
§ Miss WiddecombeEstimates from the labour force survey showing the number and percentage of economically inactive individuals of working age are given in the table. Estimates for regions in Great Britain are for summer 1993, while the latest available Northern Ireland results are for spring 1993.
105WAccording to the guidelines recommended by the International Labour Office—ILO—economically inactive people are defined as:
Economically inactive people of working age1. Not seasonally adjusted Thousands/percentage Standard regions Males Per cent. Females Per cent. Total Per cent. South East 657 11.6 1,468 28.0 2,125 19.5 Greater London 322 14.6 644 30.7 967 22.5 Rest of South East 334 9.7 824 26.3 1,158 17.6 East Anglia 67 10.0 158 26.2 225 17.7 South West 168 11.5 340 25.5 508 18.1 West Midlands 214 12.8 450 29.7 664 20.8 East Midlands 156 12.0 321 27.2 477 19.2 Yorkshire and Humberside 216 13.7 396 27.6 612 20.4 North West 319 16.0 557 30.3 875 22.9 North 172 17.8 263 29.7 435 23.5 Wales 171 19.1 271 33.2 442 25.8 Scotland 243 15.1 449 30.1 692 22.3 Northern Ireland (spring1993) 88 18.0 185 40.0 273 28.7 United Kingdom 2,469 13.5 4,858 28.9 7,327 20.9 1Percentages are of the total population of working age (for example men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59). Source: Labour Force Survey, summer 1993 and spring 1993.