To ask Her Majesty's Government what were (a) the percentage unemployment rates, and (b) the total number of persons employed, in (1) May 1997, (2) May 2005, and (3) February 2010. [HL2517]

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

Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director-General for Office for National Statistics, to Lord Kilclooney, dated March 2010.

As Director-General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the unemployment rate and the total number of persons employed in May 1997, May 2005 and February 2010. (HL2517)

The Office for National Statistics does not produce monthly estimates of employment and unemployment. Estimates are available for three-month average time periods. The latest time period for which estimates are currently available is the three months to December 2009.

The table below shows unemployment rates and the number of people in employment for April-June 1997, April-June 2005 and October-December 2009. These estimates are seasonally adjusted.