§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the employed labour force of the United Kingdom was employed by (a) central Government, excluding Her Majesty's Forces, (b) local authorities, including police and education services, and (c) public corporations and nationalised industries, at mid-year in 1963, 1968, 1973 and 1978, respectively.
§ Mr. GoldingThe available information is shown in the following table. Comparisons will be affected by changes over time in the composition of the public sector and in the allocation of some of its components.
Percentage of United Kingdom employed labour force employed by: Central Government (excluding HM Forces) Local authorities Public corporations and nationalised industries 1963 … 5.4 8.1 8.7 1968 … 6.0 9.8 8.3 1973 … 6.6 11.6 7.6 1977* … 8.0 12.1 8.4 * Figures for 1978 are not yet available. The 1977 figures are provisional. Notes:
- 1. The employed labour force includes HM Forces.
- 2. The sectors are those used in the national accounts; in particular, central government includes the National Health Service. Full definitions are given in National Accounts Statistics: Sources and Methods (HMSO, 1968), and brought up to date by the notes in National Income and Expenditure 1967–77, the Blue Book.