asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he has had with representatives of the United Kingdom consumer electronics and components industry about the longer-term future of their industry.
The longer-term future of the consumer electronics and electronic components sectors of the electronics industry is discussed at meetings of the sector working parties under our industrial strategy programme. My Department is represented on those working parties, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attended a recent meeting of the electronic components sector working party.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussion his Department is having with the United Kingdom electronics industry with a view to increasing the industry's exports over the next five years.
This matter is discussed at the meetings of the several sector working parties for the electronics industry under our industrial strategy programme. My Department is represented on those working parties.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total number of persons employed in the
in the areas concerned. Development areas were not introduced until 1966 and statistics for 1976 are not yet available. Figures are, therefore, given for the years 1966, 1970 and 1975. There have been no boundary changes since 1975.
United Kingdom consumer electronics industry at the end of each half year in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
Separate statistics for the consumer electronics industry are not available Information relating to Minimum List Heading 365 of the Standard Industrial Classification, which includes the manufacture of gramophone records and tape recordings in addition to electronic consumer goods, is as follows:
| June 1974 | 63,500 |
| Dec. 1974 | 59,500 |
| June 1975 | 54,900 |
| Dec. 1975 | 51,800 |
| June 1976 | 49,500 |
| Dec. 1976 | 51,600 |
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total number of persons employed in the electronic components industry in the United Kingdom at the end of each half year 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively.
The numbers employed in the radio and electronic components industry as defined in Minimum List Heading 364 of the Standard Industrial Classification were:
| June 1974 | 153,300 |
| December 1974 | 147,300 |
| June 1975 | 128,400 |
| December1975 | 127,300 |
| June 1976 | 124,400 |
| December1976 | 128,500 |
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of the output of the United Kingdom components industry he estimates is purchased by the United Kingdom consumer electronics industry.
I regret that the information is not available.