HC Deb 19 January 1994 vol 235 cc685-6W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the current average length of time males aged(a) over 55 years, (b) over 35 years and under 55 years and (c) over 16 years and under 35 years remain unemployed in the Doncaster area;

(2) what is the current average length of time females (a) over 55 years, (b) over 35 years and under 55 years and (c) over 16 years and under 35 years remain unemployed in the Doncaster area.

Miss Widdecombe

Information is given in the table on the "median" durations of unemployment, with respect to computerised records only—the vast majority of all claims —of those claimants whose spell of unemployment was completed in the period between 11 November 1993 and 9 December 1993. At this small area level information on the "mean" duration of unemployment of these claimants is available only at disproportionate cost.

Median Durations of claimant unemployment in the Doncaster Travel-to-work Area
Median Duration of Unemployment (weeks)
Age Male Female
17–34 12.0 12.0
35–54 12.6 19.5
55 and over 36.8 156.0

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of adults(a) male and (b) female registered unemployed in the Doncaster area in December (i) 1979, (ii) 1983 and (iii) 1993.

Miss Widdecombe

Figures for comparable travel-to-work areas are available only from June 1983 and are given in the table:

Unadjusted Claimant Unemployment for the Travel-to-Work area of Doncaster
Male Female
December 1983 12,258 5,857
December 1993 11,856 2,928