Public Sector Jobs

HC Deb 23 October 2003 vol 411 cc656-7W

Mr. Redwood

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public sector jobs there were in(a) May 1997, (b) May 2000 and (c) May 2003. [133661]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Redwood, dated 23 October 2003:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning how many public sector jobs there were in (a) May 1997, (b) May 2000 and (c) May 2003. (133661)

Data for periods to May are not available, but the table below shows the job levels in the public sector for the three month periods ending in August for each of the years 1997, 2000 and 2002 (the latest available data).

Public sector job levels in the UK
Thousands1
	August 1997	August 2000	August 2002
Public sector	4,954	5,094	5,298
1Not seasonally adjusted

Source:

Administrative Returns from public bodies