§ Mr. PrescottTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each quarter since spring 1992 the number of people in Great Britain surveyed by the labour force survey who, although they are without a job, have looked for a job within the four weeks prior to their labour force survey interview or are waiting to start a job they had already obtained, were not available to start a job within the two weeks following their labour force survey interview, and the number of people on the International Labour Organisation measure, but who said they would like a job.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 26 April 1994]: Both of the categories asked for in the question are defined as economically inactive according to international ILO guidelines. Estimates from the labour force survey for each quarter since spring 1992 of the numbers in each group are given in the table.
As shown by the analyses of these groups routinely published in the LFS helpline section of the Employment Gazette, the majority of people who say they want work but are not actively seeking it are students, looking after a family or home, or long-term sick or disabled.
Great Britain People who say they would like work but are not actively seeking it and/or are not available to start Thousands Quarter Total Of which: seeking work, but not available to start1 Spring 1992 2,221 313 Summer 1992 2,191 277 Autumn 1992 2,128 231 Winter 1992–3 2,177 232 Spring 1993 2,195 310 Summer 1993 2,248 245 Autumn 1993 2,226 190 Source: Labour Force Survey
Not seasonally adjusted
1 Numbers without a paid job who had either looked for work in the past four weeks or were waiting to start a job they had already obtained, but were not available to start within the next two weeks.
291W
§ Mr. PrescottTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a breakdown of the latest data on the actual and usual hours worked by(a) part-time employees, (b) self-employed part-time workers and (c) all part-timers who work (i) less than eight hours per week, (ii) between eight and 16 hours per week and (iii) between 16 and 24 hours per week.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 26 April 1994]: Estimates from the autumn 1993 labour force survey for Great Britain of the number of people whose main job was part time are as shown in the table. Actual hours returned in the survey are shorter than usual hours because they take into account periods of absence from work in the survey reference week arising from, for example, holidays or sickness.
Total actual hours of people working part time—Great Britain Autumn 1993 Thousands Status 0 to 7 hours 8 to 15 hours 16 to 23 hours Employees 1,204 1,425 1,493 Self-employed 209 154 108 Employees and self-employed 1,413 1,579 1,601
Total usual hours of people working part time—Great Britain Autumn 1993 Thousands Status 0 to 7 hours 8 to 15 hours 16 to 23 hours Employees 629 1,519 1,762 Self-employed 122 175 141 Employees and self-employed 751 1,695 1,903 Source: Labour Force Survey.