HC Deb 06 November 1986 vol 103 cc530-1W
Mr. Leighton

asked the Paymaster General how many jobs were lost in manufacturing for each month since 1956.

Mr. Lee

Information about job gains and losses is not available from the Department's statistics, but an indication of the net changes can be seen by comparing levels of employment at different dates.

Estimates of the numbers of employees in employment in manufacturing industries in Great Britain are available on a consistent basis from June 1959. They are available for June each year from June 1959 to June 1977, quarterly from September 1977 to December 1981 and monthly from January 1982 to August 1986.

The available estimates for June 1959 to June 1971, analysed according to the 1968 standard industrial classification (SIC), were published on page 196 of the March 1975 issue of the Department of Employment Gazette. The available estimates for June 1971 to June 1977, analysed according to the 1980 SIC, may be found in table 1.2 of Historical Supplement No 1 published with the April 1985 issue of Employment Gazette. Both publications are in the Library.

The following tables give the available information for June 1977 to August 1986. The estimates on which the comparisons are based are unadjusted for seasonable variation.

The following tables give the available information for June 1977 to August 1986. The estimates on which the comparisons are based are unadjusted for seasonable variation:

Employees in Employment in Manufacturing Industries in Great Britain
Table 1—Net Changes between June 1977 and December 1981
Quarter Month Net change, since previous, quarter month
1977
September 38,000
December -2,000
1978
March -51,000
June -21,000
September 34,000
December -5,000
1979
March -63,000
June 1,000
September 15,000
December -59,000
1980
March -146,000
June -119,000
September -174,000
December -212,000
1981
March -191,000

Table 1—Net Changes between June 1977 and December 1981
Quarter Month Net change, since previous, quarter month
June -129,000
September -42,000
December -105,000

Table 2—Net changes between December 1981 and August 1986
Month Net change since previous month
1982
January -61,000
February -13,000
March -8,000
April -40,000
May -17,000
June -25,000
July -5,000
August -18,000
September -24,000
October -33,000
November -42,000
December -36,000
1983
January -64,000
February -11,000
March -15,000
April -17,000
May -14,000
June -4,000
July 15,000
August 8,000
September -16,000
October -19,000
November 3,000
December -23,000
1984
January -43,000
February -8,000
March 6,000
April -4,000
May 8,000
June 9,000
July 19,000
August 5,000
September 12,000
October 0
November -5,000
December -10,000
1985
January -43,000
February 2,000
March 0
April -7,000
May 11,000
June 6,000
July 30,000
August 1,000
September 7,000
October -10,000
November -17,000
December -9,000
1986
January -43,000
February -24,000
March 4,000
April -14,000
May -15,000
June 1,000
July 5,000
August 1,000