Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the statement in the Labour Party manifesto that "there are over one million fewer jobs in Britain than in 1990", by what measure that is true; and what is the current level.
§ Lord Simon of HighburyONS produces two measures of employment. The workforce in employment survey of employers, which counts jobs, and the labour force survey of households, which counts persons. At March 1997 the Workforce in Employment in Great Britain stood at 25,530,000, a net change of -1,025,000 jobs since June 1990. This contrasts with the Labour Force Survey, which stood 9WA at 25,985,000 persons in employment at Winter 1996–97, a net change of -436,000 persons since Spring 1990. All figures have been adjusted for seasonal variation and are the latest figures for employment available.