HC Deb 13 March 1985 vol 75 c140W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest figures for the number of employees in employment and the number of self-employed, respectively; on what basis these figures are calculated; and what were the comparable figures five years ago.

Mr. Alan Clark

In September 1984, the latest date for which figures are available, it was estimated that there were 20,780,000 employeees in employment and 2,465,000 self-employed persons. The corresponding figures for September 1979 were 22,728,000 and 1,869,000, respectively.

These estimates are based on data from the census of employment, sample surveys of employers, the census of population, and the labour force survey. The use of these data sources was described in an article on page 319 of the July 1984 edition of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library. The edition of Employment Gazette to be published on 28 March will include an updated article describing the use made of revised and 1984 results now available from the labour force survey.