§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many jobs in manufacturing industry in the West Midlands have been lost since 1974 to the latest convenient date;
(2) how many new jobs have been created in the West Midlands since 1974; and in what categories.
§ Mr. GoldingPrecise information about job gains and job losses is not available but an indication of the net change can be seen by comparing the level of the estimates of employees in employment at different dates. Between December 1974 and December 1976 the latest date for which information is available, the number employed in manufacturing industries in the West Midlands decreased by 80,000.
During this period the total numbers of employees in employment in all industries and services in the West Midlands fell by 75,000. Two sectors which showed an increase were Financial, Professional and Miscellaneous Services (Orders XXIV to XXVI of the Standard Industrial Classification) which rose by 19,200 and Public Administration and Defence, (excluding members of HM Forces), (Order XXV11) which rose by 5,800.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Employment which industry is now the largest single employer in the West Midlands.
§ Mr. GoldingThis Department's statistics are analysed according to the 343W Minimum List Headings of the Standard Industrial Classification. At June 1975, the latest date for which detailed information for the West Midlands region is available, the Minimum List Heading which accounted for the largest number of employees in employment was "educational services", with 168,000, followed by "motor vehicle manufacturing" with 154,000 and "metal industries not elsewhere specified" with 116,000.