HC Deb 24 July 2000 vol 354 c487W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the fall in self-employment since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [131966]

Miss Melanie Johnson

It seems likely that the strong expansion in employee job opportunities since 1997 has encouraged some of the self-employed to switch to employee jobs. Total employment has increased by over one million since the General Election in 1997.