§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which region had the highest proportion of vacancies as a result of skill shortages in 1997. [154237]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisWe can not say which region had the highest proportion of vacancies as a result of skill shortages in 1997 as this data were not reported in the employer survey of that time.
§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many job vacancies he estimates are unfilled as a result of skill shortages. [154238]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisWe do not know how many job vacancies are unfilled as a result of skill shortages. It is estimated that 135,000 job vacancies were hard to fill for skill-related reasons at the time of the Learning and Skills Council's National Employer Skills Survey but this does not mean that the vacancies will go unfilled.