§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Blaby, Official Report, 13th June 1977, columns 51–2, if he will provide a table showing the approximate percentage unemployment rates among (a) nationalised industry and other public corporation workers and (b) central and local government employees, in February, May, August and November of each year from 1974 to 1978, inclusive.
§ Mr. GoldingThe unemployment rates requested can be calculated only in an imprecise way by allocating the whole of the figures for each minimum list heading of the standard industrial classification involved to the sector appropriate to the majority of those in the heading.
28WThe unemployment rates for center and local government are for services—MLH 872—, medical and dental services—MLH 874—, national government service—MLH 901—and local government service—MLH 906:
NATIONALISED INDUSTRIES AND OTHER PUBLIC CORPORATIONS Public Sector excluding central and local government Per cent. Central and local government Per cent. 1974 February 2.5 1.1 May 2.3 1.1 August 2.3 1.2 November * * 1975 February 2.5 1.3 May 2.6 1.3 August 2.9 1.5 November 3.2 1.8 1976 February 3.6 1.9 May 3.5 1.9 August 3.5 2.1 November * * 1977 February 3.7 2.3 May 3.5 2.3 August 3.8† 2.5 November 3.9† 2.7 1978 February 4.0† 2.7 May 4.0† 2.5 August 4.0† 2.6 * Because of industrial action by some staff in the Department of Employment Group, figures for November 1974 and November 1976 are not available. † Includes Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.