HL Deb 17 February 1981 vol 417 cc675-6WA
Lord Raglan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) what was the total United Kingdom workforce in 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1980; and
  2. (b) what was the total number of people employed in the same years.

The Earl of Gowrie

Consistent series on a continuous basis of the size of the United Kingdom working population are available only from 1959 onwards. For earlier years, approximate estimates are given which take account of the discontinuities in the available statistics but which are not precisely comparable with the more recent information. The figures relate to the middle of each year.

Working population (1) Employed labour force(2)
Early 1930s 20 to 21 million 18 to 19 million
Late 1930s 22 to 23 million 21 to 22 million
1950 22¾ to 23¼ million 22½ to 23 million
1960 24.5 million 24.2 million
1970 25.3 million 24.8 million
1980 26.3 million 24.6 million

(1) Employed labour force plus the registered unemployed.

(2) Employees in employment, plus the self-employed, plus HM Forces.