§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of people employed in the thread industry in(a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Renfrew district in each year siuce 1975, showing the numbers that were (i) full-time or part-time, (ii) managerial, adminstrative and technical or manual and (iii) male and female; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartThis data are not available in the precise form requested. Employment cannot be classified into full or part time; managerial, administrative, technical, manual; or male and female. In addition figures for Renfrew district are subject to disclosure restrictions under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.
The table shows the total number or employees in the thread industry for Strathclyde and Scotland in each year since 1975. The thread industry in common with other 729W industries requires a favourable economic climate in which to prosper. The Government's policy of low interest rates and low inflation is helping to stimulate the Scottish economy. The thread industry can be expected to share in this process.
Number of Employees in the Thread Industry Strathclyde Scotland 1975 4,306 6,335 1976 4,080 6,196 1977 4,219 6,218 1978 3,329 5,229 1979 3,239 4,901 1980 2,840 4,184 1981 2,164 3,522 1982 1,662 2,639 1983 1,385 2,339 1984 1,121 2,120 1985 1,019 1,974 1986 1,164 2,165 1987 1,195 2,299 1988 1,005 2,047 1989 1,036 2,088 1990 838 1,736 11991 690 1,549 1 Provisional. Notes:
1. This data have been extracted from the Scottish register of employment which holds information on units with 11 or more employees.
2. The thread industry has been defined as standard industrial classification (SIC) 43211 and 43212; spinning and doubling in the cotton system.