HC Deb 07 September 2004 vol 424 cc1200-3W
Mr. Woodward

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate the Government have made of how many(a) men and (b) women over the age of 50 were defined as long-term unemployed in each year since 1997; [186930]

(2) what estimate the Government have made of the percentage of men and women over the age of 50 who were defined as long-term unemployed in each year since 1997, broken down by region. [186945]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Shaun Woodward, dated 7 September 2004:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about long-term unemployment. (186945, 186930)

Table 1 shows the number of men and women aged 50 and over in long-term unemployment. Table 2 shows the rate of long-term unemployment as a percentage of all unemployment in this age group. Both tables relate to the three month periods ending in May of each year from 1997 to 2004.

Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability. In particular, estimates for UK regions are based on small sample sizes and are subject to a high degree of sampling variability. They should be treated with caution.

Table 1: Number of people aged 50 and over who are long-term unemployed1, by gender, UK regions, 1997 to 2004

(three-month periods ending May each year)
Thousand
Region 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
London 32 25 24 18 15 13 16 12
South East 18 17 9 10 6 6 5 7
South West 11 12 9 5 5 4 5 2
Wales 7 9 6 5 4 5 2 3
Scotland 17 13 15 18 10 15 11 8
Northern Ireland 7 6 3 4 3 3 3 3
United Kingdom 183 157 134 118 85 87 82 69
Male
North East 6 9 8 6 5 4 5 5
North West 14 14 12 13 7 7 7 4
Yorkshire and Humberside 12 11 11 4 4 4 7 6
East Midlands 11 5 5 4 4 4 3 4
West Midlands 15 12 10 12 11 8 6 4
Eastern 12 8 7 5 2 5 3 4
London 22 16 18 14 12 9 10 8
South East 15 11 6 7 4 4 5 4
South West 7 9 7 4 3 4 3 2
Wales 6 8 6 4 4 4 1 2
Scotland 13 10 12 15 8 12 9 6
Northern Ireland 6 6 3 3 2 2 3 3
United Kingdom 139 119 104 92 67 66 62 52
Female
North East 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1
North West 3 4 3 4 3 2 1 2
Yorkshire and Humberside 2 1 1 1 0 1 2 0
East Midlands 4 2 2 2 1 1 2 1
West Midlands 6 3 2 3 1 2 2 1
Eastern 4 5 3 2 2 2 2 1
London 10 8 7 4 3 4 6 4
South East 3 6 4 3 2 2 1 3
South West 4 3 2 1 2 1 2 0
Wales 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
Scotland 4 3 3 3 1 3 2 2
Northern Ireland 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
United Kingdom 44 38 30 26 17 22 20 17
1Unemployed for one year or more.
Note:
Estimates for UK regions are based on small sample sizes and are subject to a high level of sampling variability. They should be treated with caution. In particular, year-to-year changes are likely to show considerable volatility, and should not be used is isolation from the estimates for a sequence of years.
Source:
ONS: labour Force Survey.

Table 2: Percentage of unemployed people aged 50 and over who are long-term unemployed1, by gender, UK regions, 1997 to 2004

(three-month periods ending May each year)
Percentage2
Region 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Total
North East 55 55 57 47 47 38 46 49
North West 51 61 43 49 36 40 36 35
Yorkshire and Humberside 53 52 44 24 33 27 44 38
East Midlands 56 48 37 33 37 23 28 32
West Midlands 63 57 44 46 54 38 39 23
Eastern 52 47 46 38 27 38 26 24
London 59 57 55 46 53 38 44 35
South East 41 47 34 36 27 23 18 26
South West 41 51 38 24 35 24 29 15
Wales 57 57 37 47 51 39 17 31
Scotland 51 46 50 50 39 52 49 35
Northern Ireland 73 68 66 55 49 49 40 53

Table 2: Percentage of unemployed people aged 50 and over who are long-term unemployed1, by gender, UK regions, 1997 to 2004

(three-month periods ending May each year)
Percentage2
Region 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
United Kingdom 52.9 52.9 45.4 41.7 40.2 35.4 35.2 31.5
Male
North East 53 66 60 48 53 40 50 49
North West 55 60 44 54 38 45 43 37
Yorkshire and Humberside 61 59 49 29 39 39 50 46
East Midlands 61 48 43 35 45 25 26 38
West Midlands 64 57 53 56 55 43 43 23
Eastern 53 43 50 43 25 50 30 28
London 64 59 57 50 55 40 45 42
South East 49 46 34 35 26 21 22 26
South West 38 59 42 32 39 31 31 17
Wales 76 72 45 52 55 55 15 33
Scotland 55 51 55 51 43 58 52 35
Northern Ireland 74 77 73 60 49 48 47 62
United Kingdom 57.3 56.7 49.6 46.0 43.8 40.3 38.5 34.5
Female
North East 62 24 49 47 31 33 32 52
North West 38 62 40 37 31 30 12 30
Yorkshire and Humberside 32 25 25 16 11 11 33 11
East Midlands 45 49 27 27 23 18 29 19
West Midlands 59 54 25 27 38 27 30 23
Eastern 49 54 38 27 30 22 20 17
London 50 53 51 36 46 34 41 26
South East 23 49 34 39 29 29 10 28
South West 47 35 30 11 29 12 26 10
Wales 18 24 11 32 31 18 26 27
Scotland 40 35 35 47 23 37 39 38
Northern Ireland 63 20 38 43 49 50 20 23
United Kingdom 42.7 43.7 35.0 31.4 30 6 26.0 27.8 25.0
1Unemployed for one year or more.
2 Long-term unemployed people as a percentage of all unemployed people.
Note:
Estimates for UK regions are based on small sample sizes and are subject to a high level of sampling variability. They should be treated with caution. In particular, year-to-year changes are likely to show considerable volatility, and should not be used is isolation from the estimates for a sequence of years.
Source:
ONS: Labour Force Survey.