§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a regional breakdown of employment in manufacturing industry in August, September and October of 1987.
§ Mr. LeeEstimates of employment in regions are made only for quarter months. The latest information on net changes to September 1987 is as follows:
Employees in employment in manufacturing industry: net changes between June and September 1987 Change South East 16,000 East Anglia 5,000 South West -1,000 West Midlands 1,000 East Midlands 4,000 Yorkshire and Humberside 6,000 North West -2,000 North -1,000 Wales 5,000 Scotland -3,000 Some of the decreases in the figures will be the result of the reclassification of jobs such as industrial cleaning, computer services and road haulage, previously done by manufacturers' own employees and now done by subcontractors. This developing feature of our economy has the effect of exaggerating the extent of the move from manufacturing to service sector employment.