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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the latest percentage figures are for the number of women in (a) science, engineering and technology industries and (b) other major sectors; and what the figures were in 1996. [180063] Ms Hewitt: The Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment levels. Analysis of the Labour Force Survey by occupation indicates that the percentage of women employees within science, engineering and technology was the same at 15 per cent. in 1996 and 2003. In comparison, women accounted for 49 per cent. of all employees in both 1996 and 2003. 1. SET occupations by sex, 1996 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Occupation Male Percentage Female Percentage Total Natural scientists 90,000 73 34,000 27 124,000 Engineers and technologists 433,000 93 34,000 7 467,000 Architects, town planners, 79,000 86 13,000 14 92,000 surveyors Scientific technicians 188,000 74 66,000 26 254,000 Draughtspersons, surveyors 87,000 94 6,000 6 92,000 etc. Computer analysts, 146,000 82 32,000 18 178,000 programmers SET total 1,022,000 85 185,000 15 1,207,000 All employees 11,313,000 51 10,710,000 49 22,023,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Source: Labour Force Survey, Spring 1996, Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk). 2. SET occupations by sex, 2003 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Occupation Male Percentage Female Percentage Total Science professionals 57,000 53 51,000 47 108,000 Engineering professionals 350,000 95 19,000 5 369,000 Information and 305,000 86 50,000 14 355,000 communication technology Architects, town planners, 112,000 88 15,000 12 127,000 surveyors Science and engineering 194,000 82 44,000 18 238,000 technicians Draughtspersons and 56,000 90 6,000 10 62,000 building inspectors SET total 1,073,000 85 185,000 15 1,258,000 All employees 12,362,000 51 11,800,000 49 24,162,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Source: Labour Force Survey, Spring 2003, Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

180063; 423 c1382W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Women Equality Engineering Technology Science

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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