Bertie Ahern
Question:9 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the plans, if any, he has to obtain more regular employment statistics. [14456/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Statistics.
The only source of comprehensive information on employment and unemployment is the labour force survey, which covers a sample of about 45,000 households. The 1995 survey is currently being processed by the Central Statistics Office and preliminary results will be published on 24 October 1995. This survey is, however, only conducted annually. While some direct sectoral surveys of businesses and other employers are conducted more frequently none of them provides an economy-wide picture of the current employment situation as does the labour force survey.
The Central Statistics Office, in conjunction with the National Statistics Board, is examining the feasibility and cost of conducting a quarterly household survey covering labour force and other social topics to replace the existing annual labour force survey and will submit proposals to Government shortly.
Will the Minister give the House his views on why there is such a difference between the annual live register figure and that of the labour force survey?
The definitive source of data on employment and unemployment is the labour force survey, comprised of an annual sample of the employment circumstances of 45,000 households. The relevant fieldwork is undertaken in April. The live register is compiled monthly. From the point of view of co-ordination and synchronisation of the two surveys, we are examining the feasibility of producing comprehensive sub-annual employment estimates, in other words, quarterly labour force surveys, with a view to reducing the disparity between the two.
However, in any such exercise one must take into consideration the present cost of the annual labour force survey, at £1.3 million. Any proposal to compile such a survey more frequently would entail a considerable cost factor which must be taken into account. The general wish would appear to be far more regular labour force survey returns and data in the interests both of accuracy and of portraying a true economic picture.
While all of that was very interesting, that is not the question I asked, which was whether the Minister and his officials would examine why the labour force survey — which I believe to be correct every year — varies to a degree of approximately 5 per cent from the live register in any given week. While the answer may well be that people are asked different questions, I should be grateful for the Minister's views.
My view simply is that one is carried out annually and the other monthly, so it is quite possible for there to be a disparity between the two. We are at present examining the possibility of introducing quarterly labour force survey returns which might well lead to the elimination of such disparity.
That would be a waste of money.
The Deputy will be aware that, in attempting to do so, one would also be simultaneously compiling more harmonised quarterly labour force returns.