asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number and percentage of those unemployed in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Wolverhampton in April 1979 and at the latest available date; and what has been the percentage increase in both categories over this period.

At April 1979, the number of people registered as unemployed in the West Midlands region was 119,328 and the unemployment rate was 5·1 per cent., compared with 344,408 and 15·1 per cent. at March 1982. The corresponding figures for the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area were 8,053 and 5·5 per cent. at April 1979 and 23,517 and 16·1 per cent. at March 1982. The percentage increases between the two dates were 189 per cent. in the West Midlands region and 192 per cent. in the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each of the last 12 months for which figures are available for the Tiverton travel-to-work area: (a) monthly unemployment average figures in total, for males and for females both by quantum and as a percentage of employed and (b) three-monthly average figures for each quarter, as (a) above.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the percentage levels of unemployment in Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland in 1972 and the respective levels in the most recent annual period for which figures are available.

The annual unemployment rates for 1972 and 1981 are given below, for the countries requested. The rates for different countries are not directly comparable because of differences in concepts, coverage and methods of compilation.