I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.
In December, the Government announced the planned changeover to an improved ILO-based presentation of statistics on employment and unemployment. The new form of presentation was proposed by the Central Statistics Office, endorsed by the Strategy Group on Employment and Unemployment and followed from recommendations made last May by the National Economic and Social Forum in its report on unemployment statistics.
The new presentation will give greater prominence to the ILO-based measures of employment and unemployment, which have been included in the CSO's annual labour force survey reports since 1988. The ILO-based figures are the ones normally used by international agencies for intercountry comparisons. They provide a very detailed and objective classification of persons by labour force status, from which a range of summary indicators can also be derived. The traditional national labour force measures, based on the person's subjective assessment of his or her situation, will continue to be published. The key measure of unemployment is the standardised unemployment rate, which the CSO has published since 1992. In addition, five other ancillary indicators, will now be published to give supporting information relating to long-term unemployment, persons marginally attached to the labour force, and jobless households.
The changeover will be linked to the publication of the first results from the quarterly national household survey planned for April. This survey will be the definitive source of comprehensive sub-annual information on employment and unemployment. The availability of more frequent survey-based information, including the ancillary indicators, will, in conjunction with the monthly live register and other data sources, improve the overall range of statistics available on the labour market.
The CSO's monthly main live register statement includes data on those in receipt of pre-retirement allowance. It also contains statistics on the pre-retirement credits scheme, systematic short-time workers, smallholders and self-employed persons in receipt of unemployment assistance. Following the adoption of the new presentation format, and having regard to the greater range of sub-annual data now becoming available, the CSO intends to review its overall presentation of labour market statistics. This review will be undertaken in consultation with users and will encompass the need for more analyses and also address the coherence of the data from different sources.