93
Wriften Answers
ZWI7XINCH TZUE
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with Kon
progress towards democratic reform in Hong d what plans the Hong Kong Government have to extend democratic representation.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: Yes. Public representation is maintained through a network of councils, boards and committees. The implementation of the policies in the 1981 White Paper on district administration to extend local representation is progressing well. There are no plans to go beyond these policies.
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal if the Hong Kong Government have any plans to extend human rights and civil liberties in the colony.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: Hong Kong legislation in these areas is kept under regular review.
Maclennan Inquiry
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the total cost of the Maclennan inquiry; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: The total direct expenditure is HK$16 million.
El Salvador
Mr. Clinton Davis asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the talks between the Minister of State and members of the United States Administration held in Washington concerning the proposed elections in El Salvador and Central America generally on 1 March.
.Mr. Luce: I took advantage of my visit to New York for discussions with the Argentine Government about the Falkland Islands to call on senior officials of the United States Government in Washington on 1 March for an exchange of views. The topics discussed included Central America.
Falkland Islands
Mr. Clinton Davis asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement concerning the talks between the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Foreign Minister of the Argentine held in New York on 26 February concerning the future of the Falkland Islands.
Mr. Luce: I refer the hon. Member to the following communiqué which was issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at 12.30 pm on 1 March:
The British and Argentine Governments held a meeting at ministerial level in New York on 26 and 27 February 1982 to discuss the Falkland Islands question within the negotiating framework referred to in the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.
The British and Argentine delegations were led respectively by Mr. Richard Luce MP, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, and Ambassador Enrique Ros, Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship in Buenos Aires.
The meeting took place in a cordial and positive spirit. The two sides reaffirmed their resolve to find a solution to the sovereignty dispute and considered in detail an Argentine proposal for procedures to make better progress in this sense. They agreed to inform their Governments accordingly.
47
EMPLOYMENT
Unemployment Statistics
14. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (ɑ) men and (b) women at the most recent available date had been out of work for more than (i) six months, (ii) 12 months, (iii) 18 months and (iv) two years, respectively.
Mr. Alison: At 14 January the figures for the United Kingdom were:
Unemployed for over
26 and up to 52 weeks Unemployed for over
52 and up to 78 weeks Unemployed for over
78 and up to 104 weeks Unemployed for over
104 weeks
Male
Female
HKK 240/2
494,646
203,819
322,899
92,043
150,829.
40,604
сче
Af413
No 243,13/3
16. Mr. Wigley asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered unemployed persons there are now for every registered job vacancy; and what were the comparable figures in May 1979.
Mr. Alison: In February 1982, the number of people registered as unemployed was 3,045,000; there were 99,000 unfilled vacancies at employment offices on the day of the count and 5,000 at careers offices. The corresponding figures in May 1979 were 1,299,000 unemployed; 268,000 vacancies at employment offices; and 41,000 vacancies at careers offices. However, vacancies at employment offices account for only about one-third of all vacancies in the economy.
18. Mr. Winnick asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of registered unemployed in the United Kingdom; what was the comparable number in the same month last year; and what is the increase in percentage terms.
Mr. Tebbit: The numbers of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom were 3,044,878 at February 1982 and 2,463,294 at February 1981. The increase between the two dates was 23.6 per cent.
21. Mr. Kenneth Carlisle asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of increase of unemployed people in the latter half of 1981.
Mr. Tebbit: Between June and December 1981 the numbers of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers, increased by 9 per cent.
23. Mr. John Grant asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the latest figures for unemployment.
28. Mr. Ashley asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure and percentage of unemployment.
Mr. Tebbit: At 11 February, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom was 3,044,878, and the unemployment rate was 12-6 per
cent.
DATE 2:3:82 COL. 93
VOL 19
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