FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1984
VALUABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH UMELCO
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MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFF ICE, MR RICHARD LUCE SPOKE TO REPORTERS AFTER MEETING WITH UMELCO MEMBERS THIS AFTERNOON. THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF HIS REMARKS:
+WE HAVE HAD TWO VERY USEFUL HOURS OF DISCUSSIONS WITH UMELCO UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SIR S.Y. AND YOU KNOW OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE PRIME MINISTER, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND I ATTACH TO THE VIEWS OF UMELCO, A BODY OF SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE. 1 MUCH VALUE THIS AFTERNOON'S DISCUSSIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEE ING THEM AGAIN ON A MORE INFORMAL BASIS THIS EVENING.+
UNEMPLOYMENT STABLE AT 3.8 PER CENT
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THE UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION REMAINED STABLE WHILE THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT SITUATION IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST LABOUR FORCE STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR MARCH - MAY 1984 WAS 3.8 PER CENT, WHICH COMPARES WITH 4.0 PER CENT FOR THE PREVIOUS QUARTER (DECEMBER 1983 - FEBRUARY 1984) AND 5.0 PER CENT FOR THE SIMILAR QUARTER OF 1983.
THE DECREASE IN THE RATE OF 1.2 PERCENTAGE POINTS OVER THE YEAR WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT (THAT IS, THE CHANGE WAS GREATER THAN MIGHT BE EXPECTED FROM SAMPLING VARIATION). HOWEVER, THE DECREASE OF 0.2 PERCENTAGE POINT OVER THE PREVIOUS QUARTER WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS SAID.
THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS IN THE QUARTER ENDING MAY 1984 WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 98 300, AS COMPARED WITH 100 900 FOR THE QUARTER ENDING FEBRUARY 1984 AND 125 100 FOR THE SAME QUARTER OF LAST YEAR.
THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE FOR MARCH MAY 1984 WAS 0.9 PER CENT WHILE THAT FOR DECEMBER 1983 FEBRUARY 1984 WAS 1.6 PER CENT.
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THE DIFFERENCE WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
THE RATE FOR THE SIMILAR QUARTER OF 1983 WAS 2.2 PER CENT.
THE ESTIMATED