§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the levels of long-term(a) adult and (b) youth employment in Birkenhead over the last seven years. [166510]
§ Jane KennedyThe UK has one of the strongest labour markets in the world. We have the highest employment and the lowest unemployment of the major industrialised countries. Employment is high across the UK: every region and country has an employment rate above the EU average. Claimant long term (one year plus) unemployment has been virtually eradicated for young people and has fallen by three-quarters for adults.
Specific information for Birkenhead is in the following table.
Birkenhead February 1997 February 2004 Change Total claimant unemployment 5,227 2,540 -51% Unemployment as a proportion of the working age population 11.4% 5.6% -5.8 points Aged 18–24 unemployed for more than 1 year1 392 18 -95% Aged 25 and over unemployed for more than 1 year 1,682 371 -78%