§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 861, on the number of hours worked, if he will provide comparable information for the whole economy less manufacturing.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe figures given in my reply to the hon. Member on 3 March 1994,Official Report, column 861 were based upon the index of total weekly hours worked by all operatives in manufacturing. There are no comparable figures for the rest of the economy.
However, the labour force survey provides estimates of the total number of hours worked in each industry sector on the basis of information provided by individuals responding to the survey. These estimates are not seasonally adjusted and so comparable figures must relate to the same time period for each year. Thus, most recent comparable estimates from the LFS between spring 1989 and spring 1993, show that the total number of hours worked by employees and self-employed in Great Britain fell by 19 per cent. for those in manufacturing industries, and by 13 per cent. for those in other sectors of the economy.