Unemployment

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of those not in employment, education or training who were unskilled in each of the last 18 months. (302570)

The following table gives the proportion of people aged¹ 18 to 24 in England not in employment, education or training (NEET) who did not hold a level 2 qualification in each quarter during the last 18 months. Monthly estimates are not available as the Labour Force Survey, from which this information is produced, is run on a quarterly basis.

*Proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds in England whose highest qualification is below level 2 or have no qualifications.*
	Percentage of 18 to 24 year olds NEET not qualified to level 2	Percentage of all 18 to 24 year olds not qualified to level 2
Q2 2008	55.1	26.0
Q3 2008	52.2	26.3
Q4 2008	55.6	26.1
Q1 2009	55.0	25.7
Q2 2009	50.0	24.8
Q3 2009	46.3	24.4
¹ Age used is the respondents’ academic age, which is defined as their age at the preceding 31 August. Source: Labour Force Survey Base: 18 to 24-year-olds (academic age), England

Volume 502: debated on Wednesday 9 December 2009