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Unemployment: Young People

Volume 504: debated on Monday 18 January 2010

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many people aged between 16 and 24 years resident in (a) Chelmsford local authority area and (b) West Chelmsford constituency had been unemployed for over (i) six and (ii) 12 months in each of the last six months; (310739)

(2) how many people aged between 16 and 24 years resident in (a) Chelmsford local authority area and (b) West Chelmsford constituency were unemployed in (i) May 1997 and (ii) each of the last six months for which figures are available.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2010:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, 1 have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people aged between 16 and 24 years resident in (a) Chelmsford local authority area and (b) West Chelmsford constituency had been unemployed for over (i) six and (ii) 12 months in each of the last six months; and how many people aged between 16 and 24 years resident in (a) Chelmsford local authority area and (b) West Chelmsford constituency were unemployed in (i) May 1997 and (ii) each of the last six months for which figures are available. (310739 & 310710)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. However, estimates of unemployment for the requested age bands and geographies are not available.

As an alternative, in Table 1 we have provided the number of persons, aged 16 to 24, claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, in the requested geographies, for (a) over 6 months and (b) over 12 months in November 2009 and the previous 5 months. Table 2 contains the number of persons aged 16 to 24 claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in the requested geographies for (a) May 1997 and (b) November 2009 and the previous 5 months.

National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOM1S website at:

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Table 1: Number of people aged 16 to 24 claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Chelmsford local authority and West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency for over six months and 12 months

Chelmsford

West Chelmsford

Claiming over six months

Claiming over 12 months

Claiming over six months

Claiming over 12 months

June 2009

155

10

115

5

July 2009

145

10

105

10

August 2009

170

10

120

10

September 2009

150

10

110

10

October 2009

140

10

105

10

November 2009

125

10

95

10

Notes:

1. Data has been rounded to nearest five.

2. People claiming for over 12 months are included in the counts of people claiming for over six months.

Source:

Jobcentre Plus administrative system.

Table 2: Number of people aged 16 to 24 claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Chelmsford local authority and West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency

Chelmsford

West Chelmsford

May 1997

565

385

June 2009

800

560

July 2009

845

590

August 2009

900

630

September 2009

870

610

October 2009

850

610

November 2009

800

555

Note:

Data has been rounded to nearest five.

Source:

Jobcentre Plus administrative system.