To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the population in each region are employed in the public sector; and what the proportion was in 1997. (108090)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 13 December 2006:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of the population in each region are in public sector employment; and what the proportion was in 1997. (108090)

The latest available estimates, which are based on annual averages of quarterly public sector employment estimates and the appropriate mid-year population estimates, are shown in the attached table. Figures by region are not available earlier than 1999.

The regional estimates of public sector employment are based on returns from public sector organisations, combined with approximate breakdowns from the Labour Force Survey for Wales and the English regions. As these figures are partly based on sample surveys, they are subject to a margin of uncertainty.