§ Mr. Leightonasked the Paymaster General if there is any ethnic analysis of the growth in self-employment.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkEvidence from the 1982 Policy Studies Institute's survey of racial minorities (which was partly funded by my Department) demonstrates that compared with 1974, when a broadly similar survey was carried out, there has been an above average rise in self-employment amongst Asian men and women, to the extent that self-employment is now more common amongst Asians than the white population. There has been little growth in self-employment amongst West Indian men and women since 1974. Self-employment amongst West Indians is less common than amongst the indigenous white population.
§ Mr.Leightonasked the Paymaster General how much of the growth in self-employment has been in the building trade.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIt is estimated that the number of people who are self-employed increased by 717,000 between 1979 and 1985; of these 144,000 were in the construction industry.