§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his parliamentary reply of 23 February, Official Report, column 611, why the figures for the number of self-employed in 1982 and 1983 are not yet available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkProvisional estimates of the numbers of self-employed in 1982 and 1983, consistent with those given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 23 February, at column 611, are published in table 1.1 ofEmployment Gazette.
Figures of the numbers of self-employed are based on the decennial census of population updated by reference to the labour force survey. The latest data from these sources relate to 1981 and the provisional estimates for later periods assume that the rate of growth which occurred between 1979 and 1981 has continued. The self-employment figures will be updated when the results of the 1983 labour force survey become available in the summer. The labour force survey has hitherto been conducted biennially, but changes are being implemented which will entail it being conducted more frequently. This will allow the self-employment figures to be updated at least annually in future.