§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom food manufacturing and processing industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.
§ Mr. CurryOur main objective is, through for example financial and other support for Food From Britain, to encourage the food industry to take the fullest advantage of the opportunities being opened up by the completion of the Single European Market at the end of 1992.
Available figures of numbers of people employed in the industry are shown below.
322W
Food manufacturing and processing industry1 Numbers of persons employed: Great Britain2 Year3 Number of persons 1979 4554,000 1980 4554,000 1981 515,000
Year3 Number of persons 1982 494,000 1983 466,000 1984 454,000 1985 456,000 1986 448,000 1987 450,000 1988 453,000 1989 460,000 1990 466,000 Source: Department of Employment.
1 Figures exclude drink manufacture.
2 Detailed figures not available for Northern Ireland nor for self-employed persons.
3 Totals shown relate to June of each year.
4 The standard industrial classification for this industry was amended with effect from 1981, and statistics for 1979 and 1980 are thus not strictly comparable with those for subsequent years.