Description:
This indicator is about Scotland's position on labour market participation as the top performing country in the UK and is measured through a comparison of the employment rates in the 4 constituent countries of the UK.
Source of Data:
Progress against the Economic participation indicator is measured using the Labour Force Survey (LFS). LFS data are collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and are available from 1992.
For comparisons within the UK, this indicator is calculated as the proportion of people aged 16 to 64 in employment.
Headline data from the Labour Force Survey are published each month on a rolling 3 month basis by the Office for National Statistics. This data is seasonally adjusted.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes
The Labour Market Statistics First Release published by ONS contains a regional labour market summary, including data to measure employment rates by country - Table HI00.
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Labour-Market/Publications
Data are also published on the National Online Manpower Information System
(NOMIS) website (www.nomisweb.co.uk)
Definitions:
Participation is defined as covering those in employment. For comparisons within the UK, this will be measured using the headline employment rate, which measures the proportion of the population aged 16 to 64 (for both men and women) in employment.
Employment is defined as people who are employees, self employed, on government training programmes or unpaid family workers.
Criteria for Change:
This evaluation is based on:
- any difference in the gap within +/- 1 percentage points of the equivalent quarter in the previous year suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change.
- a movement of 1 percentage point or more in Scotland's favour suggests that the position is improving,
- whereas a movement of 1 percentage point or more to Scotland's detriment suggests that the position is worsening.