To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much long-term unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds has fallen in the past year.

In the year to January, long-term unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds fell by almost 46,000 or 33 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who were long-term unemployed in (a) the quarter to January 1986 and (b) the quarter to January 1990.

Between January 1986 and January 1990 the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who have been unemployed for 12 months or more fell by 243,000 or 73 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much the work force in employment in the United Kingdom has increased since March 1983.

Since 1983 the United Kingdom work force in employment has been on a rising trend. In September 1989, the latest date for which information is available, the work force in employment was 26,487,000. This represents an increase of 2,923,000 or 12.4 per cent. since March 1983 when the figure was 23,563,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage reduction in the total number of long-term unemployed people in the last two years.

Between January 1988 and January 1990 the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for one year or more fell by about 48 per cent. The comparison is slightly affected by the changes in coverage of the count over the period specified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage change in unemployment in the Bury, North constituency during the period September 1986 to December 1989.

Between September 1986 and December 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in Bury, North parliamentary constituency fell by about 60 per cent. Direct comparisons are affected by the change in benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds in September 1988, and by seasonal influences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many full-time jobs have been created in the city of Sheffield in 1989.

This information is not available. The Department's statistics for local areas monitor only net changes in employment between census of employment dates and the most recent figures are for September 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the total numbers in employment in the west midlands (a) currently and (b) one year ago.

In September 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, the civilian work force in employment in the west midlands region was 2,398,000. This represents an increase of 59,000 or 2·5 per cent. since September 1988 when the figure was 2,339,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

In January 1990, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom was 1,611,400, the lowest for more than nine years on a consistent basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the unemployment rate among those aged under 25 years for (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many European Community countries have a higher rate of unemployment among those aged under 25 years than the United Kingdom.

In December 1989, the latest available date, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom among under 25-year-olds was 8·2 per cent., under half that of the EC average of 16·5 per cent. The rate for eight of our EC partners is higher than this. The rate for Greece is unavailable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of employed in each of the standard regions in (a) June 1989 and (b) June 1979.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for how many months the unemployment total has been falling.

The unemployment total in the United Kingdom has now been falling continuously for 42 months on a consistent basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of new jobs created in the last three years are of part-time character; and what proportion of the total number of employees are part-time.

There are no figures for new jobs created but only for net increases in employment. In the three years to September 1989, the latest date for which estimates are available, 27 per cent. of the net increase in employees in employment was in part-time jobs. Part-time employees in employment now represent 24 per cent. of the total number of the employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in the percentage of the work force working outside the public sector over the last 10 years; and what is the overall trend allowing for the effect of privatisation.

Mid-year estimates of employment in the public sector are prepared by the Central Statistical Office. Estimates of the total work force are prepared by the Department of Employment. On this basis, the proportion working outside the public sector rose from 69·4 per cent. in 1979 to 74·4 per cent. in 1989. This increase includes the effects of privatisation. The data that would enable reliable estimates of the change in the proportion working outside the public sector allowing for the effects of privatisation are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the fall in the numbers of unemployed people aged 50 years and over over the last year.

Between January 1989 and January 1990 the number of unemployed claimants aged 50 years and over in the United Kingdom fell by about 113,000 or 26 per cent. This comparison is affected by the changes in the operation of the redundant mineworkers payments scheme in July 1989. These changes will particularly have affected older age groups.