§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many days were lost due to industrial action (a) in the public sector and (b) in total in each of the last 20 years. [44783]
706W
§ Ruth KellyI have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. John Whittingdale, dated 25 March 2002
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of days lost due to industrial action in the last 20 years. I am replying in his absence. (44783)There are no statistics specifically for the public sector but figures on the public administration, education and health industries provide most of the information on the public sector as it is today. The figures are arranged according to the Standard Industrial Classifications of 1968, 1980 and 1992. Because of differences in Standard Industrial Classification coverage and the exclusion of certain industries (e.g. coal and steel) that have dropped out of the public sector since the 1980's, caution needs to be exercised in making comparisons.Information is given in the attached table. The way the information is presented reflects the changes in Standard Industrial Classification.
Working days lost due to UK labour disputes £000 SIC 1968 Professional and scientific services; public administration and defence Whole economy 1981 1,165 4,266 1982 1,201 5,313
Working days lost due to UK labour disputes £000 SIC 1980 Public administration, sanitary services, education, medical and health sercices Whole economy 1983 121 3,754 1984 786 27,135 1985 990 6,402 1986 460 1,920 1987 945 3,546 1988 290 3,702 1989 2,388 4,128 1990 520 1,903 1991 363 761 1992 329 528 1993 341 649
Working days lost due to UK labour disputes £000 SIC 1992 Public administration, education and health and social work Whole economy 1994 86 278 1995 178 415 1996 295 1,303 1997 65 235 1998 50 282 1999 66 242 2000 221 499 2001P1 327 518 1 'P' equals provisional