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Asylum
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the country of origin of those who applied for asylum in each quarter of 1990 and 1991, as listed in his answer of 21 October, Official Report, column 338.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 5 November 1991] : The information requested is given in the table. The figures
Column 441
are for principal applicants excluding dependants. The 1990 figures for some nationalities understate because of delays in recording, particularly for the fourth quarter.Column 441
Applications<1><2> received for asylum in the United Kingdom, by
nationality, 1990-91.
1990<3>
|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria |20 |15 |40 |55
Colombia |20 |50 |30 |80
Romania |5 |20 |80 |190
Turkey |100 |160 |235 |565
USSR |15 |15 |25 |40
Others |25 |30 |25 |65
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |190 |290 |440 |1,000
Africa
Angola |95 |195 |460 |365
Congo |5 |10 |30 |20
Ethiopia |165 |300 |935 |505
Ghana |225 |175 |290 |200
Somalia |380 |325 |665 |485
Sudan |50 |45 |70 |85
Togo/Ivory Coast |5 |10 |25 |45
Uganda |355 |405 |565 |565
Zaire |240 |245 |640 |485
Others |80 |100 |240 |185
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |1,600 |1,810 |3,920 |2,945
Middle East
Iran |75 |60 |95 |100
Iraq |95 |115 |335 |350
Lebanon |80 |50 |275 |590
Others |15 |10 |10 |25
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |260 |230 |715 |1,065
Asia
China |35 |60 |60 |75
India |300 |305 |350 |450
Pakistan |170 |165 |360 |600
Sri Lanka |700 |630 |785 |1,095
Others |50 |70 |80 |175
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |1,255 |1,225 |1,640 |2,400
Other and unknown
nationality |55 |55 |90 |135
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Grand Total |3,360 |3,615 |6,800 |7,545
Applications<1><2> received for asylum in the United Kingdom, by
nationality, 1990-91.
|1991
|Quarter 1|Quarter 2|Quarter 3|Quarter 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria |100 |140 |80 |-
Colombia |50 |25 |30 |-
Romania |170 |110 |170 |-
Turkey |750 |510 |510 |-
USSR |55 |60 |60 |-
Others |25 |45 |90 |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |1,150 |895 |920 |-
Africa
Angola |1,390 |1,910 |1,240 |-
Congo |70 |60 |110 |-
Ethiopia |525 |510 |420 |-
Ghana |665 |930 |520 |-
Somalia |595 |630 |450 |-
Sudan |145 |115 |450 |-
Togo/Ivory Coast |200 |425 |560 |-
Uganda |805 |305 |120 |-
Zaire |1,430 |2,220 |1,600 |-
Others |200 |810 |1,200 |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |6,015 |7,915 |6,680 |-
Middle East
Iran |155 |135 |120 |-
Iraq |310 |155 |180 |-
Lebanon |505 |85 |70 |-
Others |25 |95 |110 |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |995 |465 |480 |-
Asia
China |115 |155 |130 |-
India |575 |510 |480 |-
Pakistan |915 |915 |720 |-
Sri Lanka |1,420 |990 |750 |-
Others |85 |230 |430 |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |3,105 |2,800 |2,500 |-
Other and unknown
nationality |<4>435 |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Grand Total |11,700 |12,075 |10,590 |-
<1> Excluding dependants.
<2> Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest 5.
<3> 1990 figures are estimates which understate for some
nationalities, particularly for the fourth quarter. In total
applications in 1990,
excluding dependants, are estimated at over 22,000 (over 30,000
including dependants).
<4> Includes applications in January and February 1991 from
nationalities not specifically identified above. From March 1991
these are
included in the "others" category for the relevant geographical
area.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many grants of (a) asylum and (b) exceptional leave to remain were made in each month of 1988 to 1991 or the nearest available date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 5 November 1991] : The information requested is given in the table. Comprehensive monthly figures from January 1991 are not yet available.
Grants<1><2> of asylum or exceptional leave to
applicants for asylum
in the United Kingdom, 1988-90
|Grants of |Grants of
|asylum |exceptional
|leave
------------------------------------------------
1988
January |20 |55
February |35 |90
March |25 |70
April |35 |55
May |30 |190
June |35 |115
July |20 |145
August |20 |130
September |35 |120
October |80 |220
November |235 |245
December |55 |155
1989
January |105 |225
February |85 |260
March |90 |365
April |170 |415
May |270 |440
June |385 |450
July |90 |275
August |115 |380
September |265 |335
October |290 |255
November |245 |290
December |110 |205
1990<3>
January |160 |320
February |115 |240
March |95 |210
April |65 |235
May |55 |210
June |60 |130
July |75 |165
August |55 |135
September |75 |265
October |110 |200
November |75 |230
December |55 |90
<1>Excluding dependants.
<2>Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
<3>1990 figures are provisional.
ENERGY
Miners' Coal Entitlement
Mr. Eadie : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on British Coal's plans with regard to the buy-out of mineworkers', former mineworkers' and their widows' coal entitlement at the end of the 1991-92 financial year.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : This is a matter for British Coal.
Mr. Eadie : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will ensure that provision is made in any future measures to privatise the coal mining industry to protect the concessionary fuel entitlement of mineworkers, former mineworkers and their widows.
Column 445
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The Government will ensure that existing concessionary fuel entitlements from British Coal will be safeguarded following privatisation of the industry.Nuclear Electric plc
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the objectives he has set for Nuclear Electric plc.
Mr. Wakeham : Yes. The Government wish to preserve the nuclear option in order to maintain adequate diversity and security of electricity supply and obtain the benefits of this environmentally clean source of energy.
To secure the future of the nuclear option the company must demonstrate to the public that nuclear power is safe, clean and economic and that it should continue to have a major role in electricity supply in the longer term. I have therefore set the following objectives for Nuclear Electric plc :
(i) to increase profit and reduce total and unit costs ; (
(ii) to achieve a continued increase in electricity generation, provided that this is economically justified ;
(iii) to achieve a progressive reduction in the company's dependence on the levy ;
(iv) to complete Sizewell B to time and cost ;
(v) to achieve a reduction in the costs of re-processing, de-commissioning and waste disposal and greater certainty about these costs ;
All these objectives should be achieved whilst maintaining the company's excellent safety record.
PRIME MINISTER
Overseas Visits
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost to the Exchequer of his visits abroad in 1990.
The Prime Minister : The cost of my visits abroad as Prime Minister in 1990 was £93,830.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister how many days he has spent abroad since assuming office.
The Prime Minister : I have spent 41 days abroad on official duties.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 12 November.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
BCCI
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he has received from Gibraltar concerning the closure of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.
The Prime Minister : I have received many representations concerning BCCI.
Indonesia
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Prime Minister when he last met representatives of the Indonesian Government ; and what was the purpose of that meeting.
Column 446
The Prime Minister : I met Dr. Habibie, the Indonesian Minister for Research and Technology on 19 June. We discussed a number of issues including commercial co-operation, particularly in the aerospace sector.
East Timor
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has had regarding the Indonesian occupation of East Timor ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : We receive frequent representations on the subject of East Timor. We support the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General to promote a settlement acceptable to all parties.
No. 10 Downing Street
Mr. Gould : To ask the Prime Minister (1) what recent assessment he has made of the current standards of horticulture in the gardens of 10 Downing street ;
(2) what consideration he has given to the security implications of the proposed contracting out of the management of the Downing street gardens.
The Prime Minister : The security implications of a contractor maintaining gardens in Downing street are considered in the same way as they are when other contractors' staff undertake work in Downing street or its gardens. The standards of gardening in 10 Downing street are high. Those standards will be maintained or improved when the work is bought in from the private sector.
WALES
Waiting Lists
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the number of patients waiting for non-urgent in-patient treatment waiting (a) more than one year, (b) more than 18 months and (c) 24 months or more, in Wales as a whole and by health authority in 1979, 1987 and the present.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Information concerning patients waiting for non-urgent in-patient treatment in Wales is collected centrally only on the basis of those waiting more than one year and became available for the first time in 1981. The available information is given in the following table :
Non-urgent cases waiting more than one year for admission as an in-
patient as at 31 March
District health authority |1981 |1987 |1991
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |701 |533 |1,091
East Dyfed |49 |363 |939
Gwent |1,665 |1,825 |2,567
Gwynedd |422 |175 |719
Mid Glamorgan |3,386 |2,761 |2,306
Pembrokeshire |653 |1,328 |634
Powys |- |- |-
South Glamorgan |2,501 |1,696 |1,884
West Glamorgan |749 |458 |1,882
|------- |------- |-------
Wales |10,126 |9,139 |12,022
In March 1974 there was a total of 72,904 patients on hospital waiting lists in Wales ; by March 1979 the figure had risen to 97,359 an increase of 24,455.
Column 447
The number of patients treated in 1974, 1979 and 1990 was :
|1974 |1979 |1990-91
------------------------------------------------
In-patient |328,793|349,695|482,445
New out-patient |444,032|428,739|451,464
The overall percentage increase/decrease in number of patients treated is as follows :
|1974-79 |1979-90 to 1991
|Per cent. |Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In-patients |Up 6 |Up 38
New Out-patients |Down 3 |Up 29
The latest information for 1990 also shows that 92 per cent. of patients admitted from a waiting list in that year had waited less than 12 months.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to meet (a) health authorities, (b) county health councils and (c) leaders of the health service unions to discuss waiting lists.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : My right hon. Friend is to meet the chairmen of Welsh health authorities on 20 November when waiting lists and the length of time patients have to wait for treatment will be discussed. He has no plans at present to meet community health councils or leaders of health service unions. I am always happy to receive constructive comments in writing at any time.
Renal Patients
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his initiatives to assist renal patients ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Dialysis facilities for patients suffering from end-stage renal failure have been provided at the following locations :
-------------------------------------------
North Wales
Main Renal Unit-Rhyl |7
Subsidiary Renal Unit-Bangor |6
Subsidiary Renal Unit-Wrexham |6
South West Wales
Main Renal Unit-Swansea |15
Subsidiary Renal Unit-Carmarthen |9
South East Wales
Main Renal Unit-Cardiff |11
Subsidiary Renal Unit-Cardiff |6
Subsidiary Renal Unit-Merthyr Tydfil |6
Proposals for a unit at Newport have been invited from Gwent health authority. We have also established a kidney transplant unit at the Cardiff royal infirmary. The treatment of most renal patients, however, is in the hands of district health authorities.
Lithotripters
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to install lithotripters in (a) north Wales and (b) south Wales.
Column 448
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The final report of the all-Wales project group on lithotripsy, which is considering the need for and specification of lithotripter facilities for Wales and appraising location options, is expected to be submitted early in the new year.
Roads and Public Transport
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial support he has given to each of the counties of Wales in the last three years for capital and revenue expenditure on (a) roads and (b) public transport ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : By agreement with the local authority associations, the bulk of revenue and capital funding to individual local authorities is provided through revenue support grant and basic credit approvals. These are not hypothecated to particular services. As an exception to this rule, transport schemes costing over £5 million attract transport grant ; total support in the last three financial years is as follows :
County |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92
|(£ 000s)|(£ 000s)|(£ 000s)
--------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |558 |1,207 |938
Dyfed |3,982 |1,463 |2,704
Gwent |8,349 |6,966 |14,708
Gwynedd |- |- |281
Mid Glamorgan |8,031 |9,737 |14,536
Powys |- |- |-
South Glamorgan |6,760 |8,757 |22,973
West Glamorgan |11,738 |22,780 |10,780
|--- |--- |---
Total |39,418 |50,910 |66,920
RNIB Needs Survey
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the report "Blind and Partially Sighted Adults in Britain--The RNIB Needs Survey" ; what action he will be taking in relation to its findings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The Department has secured a copy of this report within the last week and we are studying it with interest. It is the result of a survey carried out in 1986-87, complementary to the wider disability surveys carried out by OPCS, whose reports were published in 1989-90.
We already have a programme of action in hand to improve services for people with visual impairments. In 1990 the Welsh Office issued a working group report "Co-ordinating Services for Visually Handicapped People" and in May of that year published a major guidance circular on best practice in the provision of support and care to people with physical or sensory disabilities.
That advice has been followed up by full guidance on the implementation in Wales of our comprehensive programme to improve community care for all groups which is set out in chapter 11 of the "Caring for People" White Paper [Cm 849]. In addition, the Welsh Office will publish shortly the report of the social services inspectorate inspection of services for people with visual impairment in Gwynedd. This was carried out with RNIB assistance and will be used with the RNIB national survey findings as the basis of a seminar on further guidance early next year.
Column 449
GP Budget Holders
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many GPs in Wales are budget holders ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Seven GP practices in Wales, comprising a total of 46 GPs, have been recognised as fund-holders from 1 April 1991.
Parents Charter
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State, for Wales (1) what is his estimate of the cost of distributing details of the charter for parents to each of the headteachers of Wales ;
(2) how many copies of charter for parents he has distributed ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he proposes to make moneys available to local education authorities to enable their headteachers to inform parents of the contents of the charter for parents.
Mr. David Hunt : The charter for parents in Wales sets out in a single document the rights of parents with respect to the education of their children, the choices they can exercise, the information they can obtain about schools' performance and the influence they can have on the way schools are run. As such it is an invaluable reference document to which all parents should have access. I therefore sought the co-operation of the chairmen of governors and headteachers of all schools in Wales to have the document delivered to parents through pupils at their schools. The cost of distributing supplies to schools for that purpose is £11,911.20 and is being met by my Department. I am also making arrangements for copies of the charter to be made available to parents whose children are not yet at school through playgroup and nursery schools associations. Copies of the charter have also been made available to others on request. So far a total of 486,761 copies of the charter have been distributed.
Marginal Hill Farms
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to visit a marginal hill farm in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I have visited many hill farms throughout Wales and will continue to do so in the future.
School Transport
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the practice of local education authorities in interpreting the statutory walking distance for school transport in the rural areas of Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I have no reason to believe that LEAs are not properly observing the statutory provisions in the Education Act 1944 relating to walking distances in determining eligibility for transport from home to the nearest appropriate school for attendance. It is for the LEAs themselves to determine what constitutes an appropriate school.
Column 450
Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will consult local authorities and other appropriate bodies regarding his proposals for housing revenue account subsidy in Wales in 1992-93.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The Welsh Office is today consulting local authorities, the Council of Welsh Districts and other interested bodies on proposals for determining each authority's entitlement to subsidy in 1992- 93. Comments on the proposals are invited by 9 December. I am placing copies of the consultation proposals in the Library of the House together with estimates of the rent guidelines and management and maintenance allowances for each authority. For rent guidelines we propose an average increase of £2.14 per week with increases for individual authorities ranging from £1.13 to £3.40 per week over the guideline rent which applies in the current year. This will continue the process of encouraging sensible levels of rent which better reflect the value of the properties concerned. For management and maintenance allowances, we propose to increase the average allowance per dwelling from £712 to £766. The increase in the allowances for individual authorities will be based on the targeting system introduced in the current year which takes into account the condition of each local authority's stock.
The rent guidelines and the management and maintenance allowances are the assumptions the Government make in calculating each authority's entitlement to subsidy. It is for each council to set its own rent levels and to decide how much to spend on managing and maintaining its stock within its obligations under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
CAP Products
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the information on surplus common agricultural policy products in his answer dated 12 May 1986, Official Report, column 367 ; and if he will add corresponding information for other common agricultural policy products.
Mr. Curry : The information, which covers all products on which there was relevant expenditure, is as follows :
Mecu
|1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990
---------------------------------------------------------
Export refunds
Cereals |1,652|3,071|2,925|2,597|2,444
Rice |60 |95 |61 |45 |29
Sugar |1,238|1,516|1,566|1,451|926
Olive Oil |29 |23 |64 |93 |135
Oilseeds |2 |64 |25 |6 |1
Fruit and Vegetables |77 |67 |64 |79 |81
Wine |11 |20 |44 |45 |55
Tobacco |32 |43 |43 |62 |62
Milk and Milk
Products |1,982|2,258|3,014|2,869|1,931
Beef |1,214|878 |769 |1,343|1,110
Pigmeat |75 |112 |172 |199 |174
Eggs and Poultry |98 |152 |194 |234 |179
Non-Annex II
Products |503 |590 |602 |552 |512
MCA's |170 |227 |143 |57 |76
Food Aid |264 |259 |243 |133 |86
|-- |-- |-- |-- |--
Total |7,407|9,375|9,929|9,765|7,801
Public storage
Cereals |559 |346 |2,022|804 |1,440
Rice |0 |0 |0 |0 |36
Sugar |1 |2 |-1 |-1 |0
Olive Oil |50 |53 |86 |47 |42
Oilseeds |0 |0 |2 |7 |4
Wine |5 |6 |592 |369 |202
Tobacco |11 |18 |28 |122 |116
Milk and Milk
Products |447 |409 |931 |460 |959
Beef |282 |213 |1,372|790 |982
Pigmeat |5 |0 |0 |0 |0
|-- |-- |-- |-- |--
Total |1,359|1,046|5,032|2,598|3,780
Notes:
(i) The figures for public storage costs since 1988 are
not compatible
with earlier costs as stock is now depreciated on entry
into
intervention. Furthermore the cost of depreciation of
1988 stock is
being reimbursed over the 5 years 1988-92.
(ii) 1987 expenditure was for 10 months only and 1988
expenditure
was for 11" months only.
Sources: EAGGF Guarantee Financial Reports.
Finance Statistics
Mr. Biffen : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total value of national aids to agriculture paid by each European Community country over the latest available 12 month period and the corresponding value of common agricultural policy payments.
Mr. Curry : The Government do not keep comprehensive details of the national subsidies and other state aids available to farmers in other member states, since to do so would not be a cost effective use of resources. All state aids are, however, subject to the provisions of articles 92 to 94 of the treaty of Rome, and member states are required to obtain the Commission's approval in advance for new state aids and modifications to existing aids and to send an inventory of all state aids to the Commission annually. The Government monitor, through their embassies in member states, the introduction of new state aids and modifications to existing aids, and draws any that seem to be of doubtful legality to the attention of the Commission.
Departmental Staffing
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the departments within his Ministry where he intends to increase staffing levels, indicating the numbers involved in each case, and when he expects the increases to take effect ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : I intend to increase staffing levels in the financial year 1992-93 as a result of the outcome of the recent public expenditure survey round. Additional staff will be placed primarily within divisions dealing with environmental issues and with work arising from the movement towards a single market. The funds allocated will pay for about 275 posts, but the precise total, and the breakdown between divisions will depend on decisions on the grade and mix of staff chosen.
Column 452
Humming Birds
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with European Commission officials regarding the transportation of wild-caught humming birds and other nectar- feeding birds in the context of the proposed EC directive on transport of live animals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 7 November at col. 246.
Suckler Cow Premium
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to authorise payments of the suckler cow premium ; and if he will pay this at the maximum rate allowed.
Mr. Curry : As I announced on 4 November, Agriculture Ministers have fixed the rates of suckler cow premium for the 1991-92 scheme year at the same rates which applied last year, viz £51.69 per head in the less favoured areas and £47.43 per head elsewhere. A statutory instrument putting these rates into effect is expected to be laid before Parliament later this week and payments to those who have already submitted their applications for premium will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
Common Agricultural Policy
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in which sectors he expects to increase his Ministry's spending in 1991-92 for the intervention board and other aspects of the common agricultural policy ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : Based on latest forecasts of production, market and trade conditions, it is likely there will be increased CAP market support expenditure (class III, vote 1) in the beef, sheepmeat and sugar sectors, offset by reductions in the cereals, milk products and oilseed sectors. Expenditure on this non-cash limited vote, which is largely reimbursed by the Community, is sensitive to a variety of unpredictable changes. If necessary increased provision will be sought at the time of the Spring Supplementary Estimates. My reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 6 November at column 163 gives expected changes on Intervention Board Administration expenditure (class III, vote 2).
Agricultural Produce Marketing
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields on 5 November, Official Report, column 78, if he will give the amount he intends to fund the organisations that promote the marketing of agricultural produce in (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : I have made provision for the following amounts :
Column 453
|1991-92 |1992-93
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------
Food From Britain |4,500,000|4,800,000
Meat and Livestock Commission |249,000 |264,000
Home-Grown Cereals Authority |120,000 |120,000
Potato Marketing Board |300,000 |300,000
Fishing Vessels
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place with European Governments and the Government of the United States of America to ensure that fishing vessles which use the Irish sea will be protected from submarine activity.
Mr. McLoughlin : I have been asked to reply.
Discussions took place at the recent 17th assembly of the International Maritime Organisation which resulted in an assembly resolution concerning the avoidance by submerged submarines of fishing vessels and their gear.
EMPLOYMENT
Claimants
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed claimants aged between 18 and 25 years have been unemployed for six months or more.
Mr. Jackson : Unemployment figures by age and duration are calculated on a quarterly basis. In July 1991, the latest available date, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom aged 18 to 24 years who had been unemployed for six months or more was 263,274.
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the unemployment claimant count has risen since October 1990.
Mr. Jackson : Between October 1990 and September 1991, (the latest date for which figures are available), United Kingdom seasonally adjusted unemployment rose by 755,800.
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to computerise the matching of claimant details with job vacancy detail.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service Executive Agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in the number of unemployed claimants over the last 12 months ; and what has been the percentage increase in claimant advisers during the same period.
Mr. Jackson : In the 12 months to September 1991, the total number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom, on the unadjusted basis, has increased by 46 per cent. Over the same period the number of claimant advisers, whose main function is to help longer term unemployed people, has increased by almost 24 per cent.
Column 454
Local Offices
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the new integrated offices are located in what were previously unemployment benefit office premises ; and what percentage this is of the newly converted offices.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service Executive Agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
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