7 Sept 2004 : Column 1200Wcontinued
Long-term Unemployment
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 unemployed(86), by gender, UK regions, 1997 to 2004(three-month periods ending May each year)
Thousand
Region | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004
|
Total | | | | | | | |
|
North East | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6
|
North West | 16 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6
|
Yorkshire and Humberside | 14 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6
|
East Midlands | 15 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5
|
West Midlands | 20 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5
|
Eastern | 16 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5
|
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
|
(86) Unemployed 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.
7 Sept 2004 : Column 1201W
Table 2: Percentage of unemployed people aged 50 and over who are long-term unemployed(87), by gender, UK regions, 1997 to 2004(three-month periods ending May each year)
Percentage(88)
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
|
| | | | | | | |
|
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
|
(87) Unemployed for one year or more.
(88) 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.
7 Sept 2004 : Column 1203W
Mortgage Market
Mr. Love:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is proposing to improve the working of the UK mortgage market following the Miles Review; and if he will make a statement. [186633]
Ruth Kelly:
On 12 March 2004 David Miles published his review of the UK mortgage market. His remit was to undertake analysis of supply and demand side factors limiting the development of the longer-term fixed-rate mortgage market in the UK, and to examine whether there has been any market failure that has held back the market for longer-term fixed-rate mortgages. In Budget 2004 the Chancellor endorsed the conclusion in David Miles review of the UK mortgage market that "urgent reform is desirable to make the market work better for consumers in a number of areas". The Treasury has been discussing the recommendations with a range of stakeholders including the Financial Services Authority, and intends to provide a detailed update in the Pre-Budget Report.
7 Sept 2004 : Column 1204W
Older Workers
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 5 July 2004, Official Report, column 602W, on people of retirement age, how many people above state pension age were in employment for the same period in each year since 1992. [186770]
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. David Willetts, dated 7 September 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about people of retirement age in employment. (186770)
The attached table gives the estimates of the number of people above state pension age in employment for the three months ending May each year from 1992 to 2004.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are subject to sampling variability.
7 Sept 2004 : Column 1205W
Number(89) of people above state pension age(90) in employment, United Kingdom, 3 month periods ending May each year from 1992 to 2004
Thousand
|
| Number of people
|
1992 | 814
|
1993 | 770
|
1994 | 779
|
1995 | 794
|
1996 | 770
|
1997 | 802
|
1998 | 775
|
1999 | 817
|
2000 | 831
|
2001 | 819
|
2002 | 887
|
2003 | 933
|
2004 | 995
|
(89) Seasonally adjusted.
(90) This refers to men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over.
Source:
ONS: Labour Force Survey.