§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many adults aged over 25 years were seeking paid work by region expressed as(a) a percentage and (b) the total number, ranked in descending order according to percentages for the latest date for which figures are available. [30591]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Chris Ruane, dated 30 January 2002:
358WAs National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about adults aged over 25 years seeking work. (30591)The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of the number and percentage of people aged over 25 years who are seeking work: that is, people aged over 25 years who are unemployed, as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).The latest available estimates are for autumn (September to November) 2001. These are given in the table below.
ILO unemployed people1aged 25 and over by Government Office Region, autumn (September to November) 20012 Percentage Thousand UK 2.4 953 London 3.5 172 North East 3.1 53 Scotland 3.0 104 Northern Ireland 2.8 30 North West 2.4 113 Yorkshire and Humberside 2.4 81 West Midlands 2.3 83 Wales 2.1 42 East Midlands 2.1 60 Eastern 1.8 69 South East 1.7 94 South West 1.5 52 1ILO unemployed people aged 25 and over as a percentage of all persons aged 25 and over. 2Not seasonally adjusted. Source:
Labour Force Survey