The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 October 2006:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (96929)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
About 5,000 people resident in the Hendon parliamentary constituency were unemployed in the 12 months ending in February 1997 from the annual local area LFS. Latest APS data indicates that around 4,000 people resident in the Hendon constituency were unemployed in the 12 months ending in March 2006.
These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution
ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). In May 1997, 3,141 people resident in the Hendon constituency were claiming JSA. In September 2006, the equivalent figure was 2,182. These counts are not seasonally adjusted and changes will be affected by seasonal factors.