HC Deb 13 January 2003 vol 397 cc418-9W
Ms Christine Russell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were unemployed in the City of Chester in(a) May 1997 and (b) December 2002. [90282]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Ms Christine Russell, dated 13 January 2003: The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question regarding the number of people who were unemployed in the City of Chester in (a) May 1997 and (b) December 2002. I am replying in his absence. (90282) The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from surveys following the international standard International Labour Organisation definition. However the survey sample size is too small to provide estimates for the City of Chester. ONS also compiles claimant count statistics which represent claimants of the Jobseeker's Allowance working age benefit. The claimant count in the City of Chester parliamentary constituency, not seasonally adjusted, stood at 2,062 in May 1997 and at 879 in November 2002. Figures for December 2002 will be released on 15th January 2003.