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Treasury;Office for National Statistics

Answer

Claire Ward: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of unemployment in (a) Watford constituency and (b) South West Hertfordshire constituency in (i) 1995 and (ii) 2004. [207570] Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply. Letter from Colin Mowl to Ms Claire Ward, dated 11 January 2005: The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (207570) Table 1 provides the available information requested in the Watford and South West Hertfordshire Parliamentary Constituencies for the twelve-month periods ending February 1997, the earliest period for which information is available, and February 2004, the most recent available period. These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability. ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for local areas. Table 2 gives the annual average number of people resident in the Watford and South West Hertfordshire constituencies claiming Jobseeker's Allowance benefits in 1995 and 2004. Table 1: Unemployed people resident in the Watford and South West Hertfordshire parliamentary constituencies Thousand _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 12 months ending February each year Watford South West Hertfordshire 1997 4 3 2004 2 2 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: LFS estimates for small areas such as Parliamentary Constituencies are particularly subject to sampling variability because of the small size of the survey samples for local areas. They should therefore be treated with caution and, in particular, changes from year to year should not be used in isolation from the figures for a run of years. Source: ONS, Labour Force Survey Table 2: JSA claimants resident in the Watford and South West Hertfordshire constituencies _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Annual averages Watford South West Hertfordshire 1995 3,063 2,143 2004 (Average over 11 months) 1,089 658 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative system.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

207570; 429 c447W;429 c447-8W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Individual savings accounts Unemployment Hertfordshire Watford

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk