HC Deb 13 June 1977 vol 933 cc51-2W
Mr. Lawson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide figures for the percentage unemployed in the public and private sectors of the economy in May, on the same basis as those contained in the table published in Written Answers, Official Report, 22nd February 1977, column 557; and if he will similarly break down the public sector figure into the percentage figures attributable to its two component sub-sectors, namely (a) public corporations and (b) central and local government.

Mr. Golding

Separate unemployment rates for the private and public sectors can be calculated only in an imprecise way by allocating the figures for each Minimum List Heading of the Standard Industrial Classification to the sector appropriate to the majority of those in that classification. On this basis, the percentages for May were 5.4 in the private sector and 2.7 in the public sector.

Educational Services (MLH 872), Medical and Dental Services (MLH 874), National Government Service (MLH 901) and Local Government Service (MLH 906) are the Minimum List Headings most closely associated with central and local government. For these Minimum List Headings it is estimated that the percentage rate of unemployment in May was 2.3 per cent. For the remainder of the Minimum List Headings associated with the public sector, which includes the major public corporations, it is estimated that the percentage rate of unemployment was 3.6 per cent.