-----Original Message-----
From: Roche, Allison
Sent: 13 September 2005 17:17
To: 'R.Thomas'; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Fw: UK health inequalities - Guardian report
Overall the unemployment rate is falling and the employment rate is moving up and down dependent on the migration moving into the area in inner London . The employment rate as a measure of progress against Worklessness and the specific disadvantaged groups is not a good measure of progress because there is no fixed relationship between the % of the rate and the employment level (numbers of people working) because of the varied population base (which is calculated monthly using a variety of population indicators and is always changing). Look at the example below for Southwark:
Employment rate and level*
Southwark 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Employment Rate 65.0% 65.8% 65.0% 64.4% 61.3%
Employment level 102,000 102,000 107,000 109,000 97,000
(*LFS 2005 – using May as the annual baseline)
What the LDA and other London Boroughs have realised is that some boroughs have had a lot of rapid inward migration which have increased the population base but these new migrants may not be working and so the employment rate falls. This is a trend in London and so no comparison with the UK employment rate can be valid as the population has not increased as rapidly as in London.
The collection of data for Southwark is beginning to show a falling employment rate but relatively stable Income support and JSA rate. This hints that a) new migrants are young students and probably living in Southwark (cheap London housing and close to central centre) to go to college etc. The age group of 16 - 24 = 17% and 20 - 34 = 30% of the working age population. There is also a large significant 45+ (27%)to retirement group who are moving out of employment into Incapacity and Disability Benefits or economically inactive.
Targeting disadvantaged groups is essential in Inner City London but more important is collecting Local data to tell the whole story and target programmes towards these groups appropriately.
So the employment rate is not a good indicator measuring progress for a variety of reasons and in Southwark we have had to develop a set of other targets to understand our local population change and churns.
Allison Roche
Research Officer for Southwark Alliance
Economic Development & Strategic Partnerships
Regeneration Department
Southwark Council
Council Offices
Chiltern, Portland Street
London SE17 2ES
Tel: 0207 525 5531
Fax:0207 525 5510
-----Original Message-----
From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of R.Thomas
Sent: 13 September 2005 16:45
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fw: UK health inequalities - Guardian report
Increasing the employment rate may be a worthy target. But one of the effects of this emphasis has been to increase part-time employment among women. Remember that the ONS counts all paid work of an hour or more a week as employment!
Increasing the employment rate for disadvantaged groups (lone parents, low qualifications, etc) may also be a worthy target. But it does not tackle the problem directly. Disadvantaged groups are largely concentrated in 'inner city' type areas.
Every major town and city has its concentrations of high unemployment, for example, and there are very few concentrations of high unemployment that are not in towns or cities. The focus on disadvantaged groups does not take good account of this growing scale of spatial segregation. Inequality under Labour is increasing manifesting itself in the geographical distribution of the population.
I don't know how the Government measures wards with the "poorest initial market position". I don't think that the government has any such useful measures or that there is consistency in governmental measures in this kind of area. How might such measures take account of the fact that most areas of high unemployment are close to town and city centres that are daily importers of labour from suburban and exurban locations?
The largest concentration of unemployment in the UK is in inner London. Hardly an unfavoured area with regard to employment The parliamentary constituency that has had the highest level of unemployment in the UK for more than a decade is Ladywood (Clare Short's constituency). Ladywood includes the thriving central area of Birmingham.
It seems tht the types of job being created by RDAs etc are not of a kind that match the labour market offerings of those who live in 'inner city' types of area. And as far as unmployment is concerned geographical inequalities are being increased.
Ray Thomas, Open University
****************************
-----Original Message-----
From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists on behalf of Tim Blackman
Sent: Sun 11/09/2005 12:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: Re: Fw: UK health inequalities - Guardian report
The problem is that in conditions of generally improving employment rates, life
expectancy etc., it is a real challenge to achieve faster improvements in the
weakest areas - which is necessary to close the gap. There are significant
programmes trying to do this, including the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and
Regional Development Agencies. Of course, more could be done.
How does Ray's criticism square with the Government's PSA target for employment?:
Employment
As part of the wider objective of full employment in every region, over the
three years to Spring 2008, and taking account of the economic cycle:
• demonstrate progress on increasing the employment rate, joint with HM Treasury;
• increase the employment rates of disadvantaged groups (lone parents, ethnic
minorities, people aged 50 and over, those with the lowest qualifications and
those living in the local authority wards with the poorest initial labour
market position); and
• significantly reduce the difference between the employment rates of the
disadvantaged groups and the overall rate. (PSA4)
Tim Blackman
Quoting "R.Thomas" <[log in to unmask]>:
> It is of course true that unemployment in the UK has been reduced - though I
> would say steadily rather than dramatically.
>
> But the inequality in the geographical distribution of unemployment has
> increased. The areas with the highest unemployment rates in 2005 are the
> same as those with the highest rates in 1996. And the rate relative to the
> mean has increased in most of these areas.
>
> We know this from the statistics of claimant unemployment that are available
> in full detail. But these statistics are derided by the UK Government in
> favour of ILO statistics that are quite inadequate in local detail. The
> growth in the geographical distribution of unemployment is not acknowledged
> in Government policies.
>
> New Zealand has an excellent record according to ILO unemployment statistics.
> But does it have anything like claimant unemployment statistics? Do any
> such statistics show growing inequality?
>
> Ray Thomas, Open University
> *********************************
>
>
> ----Original Message-----
> From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists on behalf
> of Peter Davis (ARTS SOC)
> Sent: Fri 9/9/2005 9:53 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: Fw: UK health inequalities - Guardian report
> Critics of New Labour's record on tackling inequality need to come up
> with specific policies that the government has not to date entertained
> that, if implemented, would make the difference and that are politically
> and practically feasible. To note the intransigence of existing
> inequalities is the easy part; this is a commonplace of sociological
> observation that keeps many colleagues - and the Guardian - happily in
> employment.
>
> But let us note that under the current government there has been, in
> contrast to the previous administration, a dramatic decline in
> unemployment, a significant reduction in child poverty, and a slow, but
> steady and cumulatively marked, redistribution of income. So, this has
> not translated into corresponding reductions in health inequality. Why
> not? The obligation is now surely on the critics - and the rest of us -
> to identify how this relatively beneficent picture of macro social and
> economic policy success might be translated into an equally striking
> improvement in health outcomes.
>
> Peter Davis
> Professor and HoD, Department of Sociology
> University of Auckland
> Private Bag 92019
> Auckland
> NEW ZEALAND
>
> Ph.: +64-9-3737-599, x 85109(City), 89740(Tamaki)
> Fx.: +64-9-3737-439
>
> ,
>
>
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