§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table to show what proportion of the total working population of the country was employed by (a) central Government, (b) local government, (c) nationalised industries, (d) quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations and (e) private firms receiving direct Government grants and subsidies, other than regional assistance, in each of the following years: 1945, 1951, 1964, 1970, and the latest 12 months for which figures are available.
§ Mr. GoldingThe table below shows the proportion of the United Kingdom working population in those sectors for which figures can be given. Although information on the total number of employees in quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations is not available, 289W employment in some of these organisations is included in the percentages in the table. Details of the coverage of the public sector are given in pages 102–104
UNITED KINGDOM: PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKING POPULATION* 1951† 1964 1970 1977‡ Central Government (including HM Forces) 8.4§ 7.0 7.5 8.8 Local authorities 6.1 8.3 10.1 11.4 Nationalised industries and other public corporations 12.0 8.2§ 8.0§ 7.9§ * The working population comprises employees in employment, the self-employed (with or without employees), members of Her Majesty's Forces and the registered unemployed. † Because of changes in the classification and coverage of organisations in the public sector, figures for 1951, which are for Great Britain, are not comparable with those for later years. ‡ Provisional. §Including the Post Office.