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Economic Activity

Answer

I have been asked to reply.The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.Letter from Stephen Penneck:"As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the economic activity rate was for (a) men and (b) women with (i) no long-term health problems, (ii) long-term health problems, (iii) long-term musculo-skeletal problems, (iv) chest problems, (v) heart problems, (vi) mental illnesses and (vii) learning difficulties in each (A) region and (B) country of the UK in (1) 2006 and (2) 2009. (321043)""Estimates of economic activity are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). In accordance with the International Labour ""Organization (ILO) definition, people are classed as economically active if they are in employment or unemployed.""The estimates provided comprise those who have had a health problem lasting longer than 12 months that may or may not affect their activity; categorised by their main health problem only. Regional data are not available for the more detailed long-term health problem categories due to small sample sizes.""As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty."

Economic activity rate of people¹ who have a long-term health problem²—Region of UK, not seasonally adjusted, three months ending December each year
Percentage
	2006	2009
	Long-term health problem	No long-term health problem	Long-term health problem	No long-term health problem
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
United Kingdom	67	61	90	79	68	62	89	79
North East	61	54	90	79	62	62	88	80
North West	62	59	88	79	65	58	89	78
Yorkshire and Humberside	67	60	91	79	67	63	88	79
East Midlands	72	67	91	81	70	64	90	82
West Midlands	66	60	90	78	69	63	88	77
East	73	65	91	79	76	67	90	81
London	54	47	92	76	51	49	92	76
South East	77	69	91	80	74	68	91	81
South West	71	65	91	82	69	70	89	82
England	72	65	91	81	72	67	90	81
Wales	58	51	89	80	59	55	86	80
Scotland	67	58	91	83	65	61	90	82
Northern Ireland	50	44	87	74	49	41	86	74
¹ Applies to all people of working age (men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59). ² Health problem lasting more man 12 months that may or may not limit activity. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey.

Economic activity rate of people¹ by main long-term health problem²—United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted, three months ending December each year
Percentage
	2006	2009
	Men	Women	Men	Women
Musculoskeletal	69	60	69	62
Chest or breathing problems	81	73	82	74
Heart problems	75	71	76	75
Mental illness	23	22	25	28
Learning difficulties	48	39	47	39
¹ Applies to all people of working age (men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59). ² Health problem lasting more than 12 months that may or may not limit activity. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

507 c974-6W; 321043

Session

2009-10

Subjects

Employment Unemployment

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk