HC Deb 26 February 2002 vol 380 c1224W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of skills shortages in each region of the UK. [37592]

John Healey

The collection of such data in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is a matter for the respective devolved administrations. The Employer Skills Survey 2001, commissioned by the Department shows that, on average, 3.6 per cent. of employers in England reported skills shortage vacancies', whilst the figures for employers in each region were as follows:

  • East Midlands 2.2 per cent.
  • Eastern 4.6 per cent.
  • London 4.2 per cent.
  • North East 2.9 per cent.
  • North West 3.5 per cent.
  • South East 3.7 per cent.
  • South West 4.4 per cent.
  • West Midlands 3.4 per cent.
  • Yorkshire and the Humber 2.2 per cent.

1 Skills shortage vacancies are hard-to-fill vacancies caused by a lack of suitably skilled, qualified or experienced applicants, as defined by the National Skills Task Force.