HC Deb 18 November 1983 vol 48 cc586-7W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has collected on the number of people employed in Dundee in the following specialities: electronics, biotechnology, health care industries, advanced engineering and energy-related industries.

Mr. Allan Stewart

Employment information used within the Scottish Office is for the most part collected by other Departments, including the Department of Employment and the Business Statistics Office.

The available information is as follows:

Sector Estimated Employment in Dundee
Electronics* 3,300
Biotechnology† Not available
Health care industries‡ 500
Advanced engineering║ 1,350
Energy-related industries¶ Not available

Notes:

1. There may be some modest overlap between these sectors.

2. Sources and definitions are as follows:

* Scottish Manufacturing Establishments Record. This excludes units with fewer than 11 employees.

† Biotechnology is not currently identified as a distinct industrial activity for statistical purposes.

‡ Scottish Development Agency.

║ Advanced engineering cannot be precisely defined in terms of available statistics. The figure given represents total employment in mechanical engineering (excluding industrial plant and steelwork), electrical engineering (excluding electronics), and vehicles, and is based on the Scottish Manufacturing Establishments Record, which excludes units with fewer than 11 employees.

¶ Information on employment in energy-related industries in Dundee is not available.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how the number of people in Dundee employed in electronics currently compares with the number five years ago.

Mr. Allan Stewart

According to the latest available information from the Scottish Manufacturing Establishments Record, which excludes units with lower than 11 employees, employment in electronics in Dundee is around 3,300. The corresponding figure for 1978 was 2,600.