§ 73. Mr. Bagierasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of unemployed construction workers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungThe collection of unemployment statistics classified by individual industries has been discontinued.
Figures for employment in the industry are available. In 1983, 1,084,000 employees were in employment in the construction industry; and there were 413,000 self-employed.
The best prospects for increasing employment in the construction industry depend upon the continuing success of the Government's economic strategy— particularly firm control of the money supply, public expenditure and public borrowing, leading to lower interest rates and greater industrial confidence. These policies were reaffirmed in the Chancellor's autumn statement.
Output in the construction industry is growing. In 1983, measured at 1980 prices, output totalled £21.1 billion, an increase of 4.2 per cent. on 1982. In the first six months of 1984, output totalled £10.87 billion, an increase of 6 per cent. compared with the first 6 months of 1983. In the first 9 months of 1983, new orders for the construction industry totalled £9.62 billion. In the first 9 months of 1984, the equivalent figure was £10.16 billion, an increase of 5–6 per cent. in real terms.
This recovery is being led by the private sector, with new orders for industrial and commercial work in the first nine months of the year no less than 20 per cent. higher than in the comparable period of 1983.