• A breakdown of workforce figures shows the number of people employed in
manufacturing has dropped by 163,000 since September 1997.
Other sectors that have seen a reduction in jobs include agriculture and
fishing which has seen a drop of 86,000.
However, the construction industry has experienced an increase of 44,000
from a total of 1,756,000 two-and-a-half years ago.
The number of jobs in finance and business services sector rose by 326,000
while in transport and communications there are an extra 112,000 jobs.
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The figures also identify a further 67,000 posts in distribution, hotels and
restaurants.