Performance and employment characteristics of the UK service industries, 1990–2008

This paper describes the availability and quality of statistics to measure the performance and labour market characteristics of the UK service sector. In the present economic downturn, the need for detailed measures such as profitability, prices and productivity is of increasing importance. This paper complements an earlier ELMR paper published in January 2008, which discussed basic measures such as output and jobs. Both papers consider progress made in the development of improved service sector statistics, following a 1995 review of their scope and reliability. Economic & Labour Market Review (2009) 3, 39–50; doi:10.1057/elmr.2009.90