HC Deb 01 February 2000 vol 343 c504W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of those who leave the unemployment pool based on the claimant count reapply for benefit within 12 months of securing employment by region. [107229]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 1 February 2000: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to answer your parliamentary question about the proportion of those leaving the claimant and finding work who rejoin within 12 months. Following are estimates based on the 5% sample cohort of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance. Of those leaving the claimant count during 1998 and known to have found work as the reason for ceasing their claim, the proportions of these who started another claim within 12 months of ceasing their original claim, were as follows.

Government Office Region Percentage
North East 45
North West 38
Yorkshire and Humberside 42
East Midlands 37
West Midlands 35
Eastern 35
London 28
South East 33
South West 36
Wales 40
Scotland 43
Northern Ireland 31
United Kingdom 37