§ 10 Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the unemployment rates for(a) Wales and (b) the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [18837]
§ Mr. HagueThe labour force survey provides data on unemployment which are comparable across the European Union. In autumn 1996, the International Labour Organisation unemployment rate for Wales from this source was 8.2 per cent. This compares with ILO unemployment rate of 11.9 per cent. for the Republic of Ireland in October 1996. These figures are not seasonally adjusted.
§ 13. Mr. Jacques ArnoldTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the unemployment rates for Wales relative to those of Catalonia. [18840]
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe latest available figures for Wales and Catalonia, on a comparable basis published by Eurostat, are for April 1995 when the ILO unemployment rate for Wales was 8.7 per cent. and that for Catalonia was 19.9 per cent. These figures are not seasonally adjusted.