To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. (118223)

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

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 7 January 2007:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (118223)

The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.

The attached table shows numbers of employed persons, aged 16 and over, in the Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East and the United Kingdom for the 12 month periods ending in February from 1997 to 2004 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 months ending in March from 2005 to 2006 from the APS. The table also shows the corresponding working-age employment rates.

These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.