Yorkshire and Humberside

HC Deb 28 January 1987 vol 109 c275W

63. Mr. Patchett

asked the Paymaster General what is the net loss in manufacturing jobs in the Yorkshire and Humberside region since 1979.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Between June 1979 and June 1986 there was a net decrease of 248,000 employees in employment in manufacturing industries in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Some of this decrease in the figures will be the result of the reclassification of jobs previously done by manufacturers' own employees and now done by sub-contractors.

This is a developing feature of our economy, so that the move to sub-contracting activities like industrial cleaning and road haulage is steadily exaggerating the move from manufacturing to service sector employment.