asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of the percentage of the work force unemployed in each of the member countries of the EEC; and if he will state in each case whether unemployed school leavers are included in the percentage figure given.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Unemployed.
3.
The systems under which short-term unemployment statistics are compiled, and the definitions and concepts involved, vary considerably from country to country and it is not possible to quote comparable unemployment totals, or unemployment rates, for the different EEC countries. The figures for unemployed persons are derived from the various national administrative sources which differ substantially depending on the coverage of the relevant employment office systems.
Notwithstanding these shortcomings in relation to international comparability, the Social Affairs Directorate of the EEC Commission publishes a monthly statement on the current unemployment situation in each of the nine countries based on national figures. This statement includes information on unemployment rates. With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving this information.
The extent to which unemployed school leavers are covered in the unemployment statistics in the different member states varies and this is in fact one of the reasons why it is difficult to make comparisons.
Following is the statement:
DATA issued by the EEC Commission relates to the wholly registered unemployed in the nine member states.
|
Country |
Month |
Total Persons Unemployed |
Unemployment Rate |
Change with corresponding period in 1974 |
|
|
Belgium |
October |
208,876 |
7.9% |
+ 92,530 |
(+80%) |
|
Denmark |
September |
116,800 |
5.7% |
+ 59,400 |
(104%) |
|
Germany |
October |
1,061,128 |
4.6% |
+ 388,816 |
(+58%) |
|
France |
September |
945,800 |
5.6% |
+ 411,500 |
(+77%) |
|
Italy |
August |
1,055,200 |
5.4% |
+ 117,500 |
(+ 12%) |
|
Ireland |
October |
101,957 |
9.1% |
+ 30,201 |
(+ 42%) |
|
Luxembourg |
September |
292 |
0.2% |
+213 |
(+ 169%) |
|
Netherlands |
October |
201,498 |
4.9% |
+ 61,879 |
(+ 44%) |
|
Britain |
October |
1,114,211 |
4.9% |
+ 501,676 |
(+ 82%) |
|
Northern Ireland |
October |
51,186 |
9.8% |
+ 20,306 |
(+ 66%) |
The Irish figure for the total number of unemployed persons is the live register less the number of short-time workers registered; this reduction has been made in order to improve comparability as the other figures relate to the wholly unemployed. The unemployment rate of 9.1% for Ireland has been derived by dividing the figure for the number of persons unemployed as shown in the table by the 1974 estimate of the total Irish labour force.
Could I ask whether the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary in written form indicates the countries which include to a full or a lesser degree unemployed school leavers? Is there any indication in the reply of where that happens?
I have not got anything specific in relation to Britain. My information is that in most of the EEC countries their unemployment figures take school leavers into account but on somewhat varying criteria. It is true that they tend to take them into account, in a way, more easily than our figures do. I have not got individual figures for Britain.