§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Pre-Budget report, if he will list the unemployment to vacancy ratio in each(a) nation and (b) Government office region of the United Kingdom. [140540]
Estimated resident population mid-I971 to mid-1999 for Government Office Regions 1971 (Thousand) 1999 (Thousand) Population change (Thousand) Percentage England and Wales 49,152.0 52,689.9 3,537.9 7.2 North East 2,678.5 2,581.3 -97.2 -3.6 North West 7,107.8 6,880.5 -227.3 -3.2 Yorkshire and Humberside 4,902.3 5,047.0 144.7 3.0 East Midlands 3,651.9 4,191.2 539.3 14.8 West Midlands 5,146.0 5,335.6 189.6 3.7 East 4,454.3 5,418.9 964.6 21.7 London 7,529.4 7,285.0 -244.4 -3.2 South East 6,829.7 8,077.6 1,247.9 18.3 South West 4,111.8 4,935.7 823.9 20.0 Wales 2,740.3 2,937.0 196.7 7.2 Source:
Office for National Statistics Crown Copyright 2000
946W
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 27 November 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 30 November 2000:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question regarding the unemployment to vacancy ratio in each nation and Government Office region of the United Kingdom (140540). I am replying in his absence.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the main source of labour market data on individuals used by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The official measure of unemployment is derived from the LFS and 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.
ONS also publishes the monthly number of people who are claiming unemployment-related benefits, also known as the claimant count.
The only figures available on vacancies are those notified to Jobcentres. It should be borne in mind that Jobcentre vacancies represent only a proportion of all vacancies in the economy, broadly a third overall. This proportion is also likely to vary across regions and between different skills and occupations.