To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report (a) the number of 18 to 25-year-olds registered as unemployed in St. Helens over the past two years, (b) the proportion of male to female unemployment in the 18 to 25-year-old group, (c) the number of people in this age bracket on ET schemes, in St. Helens and nationally, (d) the average duration of unemployment for each year in the 18 to 25-year-old age group in St. Helens and (e) the number of YTS trainees both nationally and in St. Helens, and the proportion of these trainees who find jobs with the company or training agency at the completion of their training.
| (a) Unadjusted unemployment aged 18 to 24 years in the St. Helens Local Authority District | |||||
| Male | Proportion of total percentage | Female | Proportion of total percentage | Total | |
| 1988 | |||||
| April | 2,376 | 69.0 | 1,067 | 31.0 | 3,443 |
| July | 2,249 | 69.3 | 998 | 30.7 | 3,247 |
| October | 2,157 | 68.2 | 1,004 | 31.8 | 3,161 |
| 1989 | |||||
| January | 2,183 | 70.2 | 925 | 29.8 | 3,108 |
| April | 2,024 | 70.6 | 844 | 29.4 | 2,868 |
| July | 1,844 | 69.0 | 827 | 31.0 | 2,671 |
| October | 1,788 | 67.0 | 881 | 33.0 | 2,669 |
| 1990 | |||||
| January | 1,818 | 69.1 | 812 | 30.9 | 2,630 |
| April | 1,733 | 69.5 | 762 | 30.5 | 2,495 |
| (b) The median duration of unemployment (in weeks) in the St. Helens Local Authority District for claimants aged 18–24 years. | |||
| (weeks) | |||
| Male | Median1 female | Total | |
| 1988 | |||
| April | 35.0 | 30.5 | 33.4 |
| July | 33.6 | 27.9 | 31.8 |
| October | 25.8 | 17.2 | 23.4 |
| 1989 | |||
| January | 24.0 | 20.6 | 22.8 |
| April | 28.3 | 24.9 | 27.1 |
| July | 28.5 | 19.9 | 25.4 |
| October | 24.4 | 14.5 | 21.2 |
| 1990 | |||
| January | 23.3 | 18.2 | 21.4 |
| April | 25.2 | 20.7 | 23.7 |
| 1 The Median duration of unemployment is the length of time spent unemployed, which is exceeded by 50 per cent, of the unemployed. | |||
Note:—Comparisons are slightly affected by the September 1988 change in benefit regulations for under 18 year olds.