Employment (Hansard, 21 April 1980)

§ Mr. Rowlands
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently employed in the public sector, local and central Government, in Wales; and how much he hopes to reduce that number in the years 1980 to 1984.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
Public sector employment in Wales as at December 1979 is estimated at approximately 413,000. If account is taken of the subsequent rundown of the British Steel Corporation's work force at Shotton, the total reduces to approximately 407,000. Within this total, central Government employment amounts to about 107,000, and local government employment to about 158,000.
I cannot make detailed assessments of future employment levels for this wide and variegated sector; the responsibility for planning manpower reductions rests with the managements of the authorities and organisations concerned.

§ Mr. Rowlands
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish a table of the labour force in Wales under the following categories: self-employed, public services, business sector, namely, private sector plus public corporations, non-employed and registered unemployed for the years 1973 to 1979 and the estimates for 1980 to 1984.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
The information is given in the attached table. It is not possible to give detailed estimates of employment in 1980–84, but the population of working age is expected to be: 1980—1,643,000; 1981—1,651,000; 1982 1,659,000; 1983—1,670,000; 1984—1,678,000.
69W

CIVILIAN LABOUR FORCE (000s)

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978^* 1979^*

Registered Unemployed … … … … … 32 33 51 74 80 87 80

Self-Employed† … … … … … 110 106 104 104 104 104 104

Business Sector … … … … … 783 778 761 752 756 756 762

Education, Medical and Legal Services … … … … … 136 138 150 158 158 158 160

Public Administration … … … … … 81 76 87 85 84 84 84

Total Civilian Labour Force … … … … … 1,142 1,131 1,153 1,173 1,182 1.189 1,190

H. M. Forces … … … … … 6 6 6 7 6 6 6

Non-employed … … … … … 436 454 438 426 426 431 439

Total population of working age … … … … … 1,584 1,590 1,598 1,606 1,614 1.626 1.635

^* Provisional

† Assumed unchanged since 1975

70W 71W

§ Mr. Ioan Evans
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on future levels of unemployment in Wales.

§ Mr. Nicholas Edwards
It is not my
practice, nor that of successive Governments, to forecast unemployment.

CIVILIAN LABOUR FORCE (000s)
						1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978^*	1979^*
Registered Unemployed	…	…	…	…	…	32	33	51	74	80	87	80
Self-Employed†	…	…	…	…	…	110	106	104	104	104	104	104
Business Sector	…	…	…	…	…	783	778	761	752	756	756	762
Education, Medical and Legal Services	…	…	…	…	…	136	138	150	158	158	158	160
Public Administration	…	…	…	…	…	81	76	87	85	84	84	84
Total Civilian Labour Force	…	…	…	…	…	1,142	1,131	1,153	1,173	1,182	1.189	1,190
H. M. Forces	…	…	…	…	…	6	6	6	7	6	6	6
Non-employed	…	…	…	…	…	436	454	438	426	426	431	439
Total population of working age	…	…	…	…	…	1,584	1,590	1,598	1,606	1,614	1.626	1.635
^* Provisional
† Assumed unchanged since 1975