§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the change in the number of unemployed individuals from ethnic minorities between 1997 and the latest date for which figures are available. [113523]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 7 March 2000]: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
741WLetter from Tim Holt to Mr. Shaun Woodward, dated 8 March 2000:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on unemployed individuals from ethnic minorities.Latest available non-seasonally adjusted estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) show that in the autumn (September to November) quarter of 1999 the number of ILO unemployed from all ethnic minorities in the UK was 203,000. This compares to 266,000 in the same period in 1997; a reduction of 23,000.742WPeople interviewed in the LFS are asked to classify their own ethnic origin. The figures given represent people who did not classify themselves as being of White origin.The measure of unemployment derived from the LFS is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It counts as unemployed people who are a) without a paid job, b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained.