asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been reported to employment offices in the Northern Region during the last 12 months; and how this compares with the previous 12 months.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of work people involved in redundancies reported as due to occur in the Northern Region, during the period 1st March 1976 to 28th February 1977, was 15,360, as compared with 16,790 in the 12 months ending 29th February 1976.