§ Mrs. LiddellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the economic activity rate in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency was in(a) 2002–03 and (b) 1997; [140371]
(2) what the employment rate in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency was in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 1997; [140372]
(3) what the rate of (a) unemployment, (b) long-term unemployment and (c) youth unemployment in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency was in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 1997; and how many individuals this represented in each case. [140373]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Mrs Helen Liddell, dated 20 November 2003:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about economic activity, employment and unemployment rates in Airdrie and Shotts constituency. I am replying in his absence. (140371, 140372, 140373)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of economic activity, employment and unemployment from the Labour Force survey (LFS) following the internationally standard International Labour Organisation definitions.
Table 1 gives estimates of economic activity and employment rates in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency for the twelve month periods ending February 1998 and February 2002. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) annual local area databases. Comparable information for the twelve month 1322W period ending February 2003 is not yet available. The LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency.
ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including Parliamentary constituencies.
Table 2 gives, for the periods specified, the total number of JSA claimants, the number of those claiming JSA for over 12 months, and the number of claimants aged 18–24 in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency. Claimant count rates for local areas are expressed as proportions of the 2001 mid-year working-age population estimates which are based on the 2001 Census, following the withdrawal from National Statistics in January 2003 of the previous workplace based rates. Table 2 shows the rates, on this basis, for the Airdrie and Shotts Constituency.
Table 1 Working age1 economic activity and employment rates Airdrie and Shotts constituency Percentage March to February Economic activity rate2 Employment rate3 1997–98 73.3 66.0 2001–02 67.7 56.8 1 Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59 2 Economically active people of wording age as a percentage of the working age population 3 Employed people of working age as a percentage of the working age population Note:
These LFS estimates have not been adjusted to reflect the 2001
Census results
Source:
Table 2 People claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency
Total Long-term2 Aged 18–24 Number Rate1(Percentage) Number Number Average January to December 1997 2,887 5.9 851 903 Average April 2002 to March 2003 1,902 3.9 239 528 1 People claiming Jobseeker's Allowance as a percentage of the mid-2001 working age population estimate, based on the 2001 Census 2 People claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for over 12 months