HC Deb 17 December 1996 vol 287 cc502-3W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people out of work in the European Union as a whole on the basis of(a) benefit claimant count, (b) International Labour Organisation definitions and (c) the labour force survey definition. [7233]

Mrs. Angela Knight

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 17 December 1996: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on the level of unemployment in the European Union. Most European Union countries produce on administrative-based and a survey-based measure of unemployment. The benefit claimant count is the administrative measure of unemployment that applies to the United Kingdom. Because the administrative definitions of unemployment differ form country to country, the Office for National Statistics does not compile EU unemployment totals on this basis. The Statistical office of the European Community (SOEC) published ILO based levels of unemployment derived from the Labour Force Surveys of its member countries. The latest figures from this source show that in spring 1995 there were 17.8 million people unemployed in the European Union. SOEC also produce a monthly estimate of the level of ILO unemployment in the EU. These estimates are based on results from the spring 1995 Labour Force Surveys which are extrapolated to monthly (or quarterly) administrative unemployment statistics. The most recent estimate gives a figure of 18.1 million people ILO unemployed in September 1996. Enclosed for your information is the latest edition of the booklet How Exactly is Unemployment Measured?, copies of which are also available in the House of Commons Library.

Mr. Milburn

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many claimants have been recorded as experiencing at least one spell of unemployment in each jobcentre area since April 1992; [8304]

(2) how many claimants have been recorded as experiencing at least one spell of unemployment in Darlington since April 1992. [8305]

Mrs. Angela Knight

[holding answer 10 December 1996]The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 17 December 1996: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on how many claimants have experienced at least one spell of claimant unemployment in each Jobcentre area, in particular the Darlington area, since April 1992. Information for each Jobcentre area could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, since 1 April 1992, an estimated 20,760 claimants have experienced at least one spell of claimant unemployment at the Darlington Employment Service Jobcentre.