HC Deb 28 April 1986 vol 96 cc339-41W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers currently employed in the sub-divisions of manufacturing industry, together with the corresponding

Employees in Employment in the Manufacturing Industries in Great Britain (Standard Industrial Classification 1980. Unadjusted for seasonal variations)
Division 2 (Other mineral and ore extraction etc) Division 3 (Metal goods, engineering and vehicles) Division 4 (Other manufacturing industries)
June 1973 1,215,000 3,518,000 2,959,000
June 1979 1,125,000 3,330,000 2,659,000
February 1986 777,000 2,561,000 2,037,000

Mr. Lang

At 1 April each year the following numbers of permanent and casual staff were employed in the administrative county of Lancashire, excluding Greater Manchester and Merseyside:

(a) Unemployment benefit offices (b) Jobcentres
1979 431 —
1980 381 —
1981 526 —
1982 665 315.5
1983 502 302.5
1984 461 294.5
1985 468 289
1986 459 281.5

Information about the number of staff employed in Jobcentres in Lancashire from 1979 to 1981 is no longer available.

Mr. Pike

asked the Paymaster General if he will give details of the numbers employed in the Burnley constituency at the latest date for which figures are available and comparative figures annually from 1979 in (a) jobcentres and (b) unemployment benefit offices.

Mr. Lang

At 1 April each year the following permanent and casual staff were employed in offices in the Burnley constituency.

figures for 1973 and 1979; and if he will add the peak figure for employment since 1956 together with the date the peak was reached.

Mr. Lang

The latest figures are as follows. Comparable estimates are not available for the same months in each of the years specified.

In December 1979 the employed labour force in Great Britain was 24,940,000; its highest point in any of the years from 1956 to date. The employed labour force is the sum of employees in employment, the self employed, and Her Majesty's Forces.