Labour Availability

The percentage of firms reporting shortage of skilled labour has again increased considerably compared to both the last survey findings and the corresponding quarter of 1996. Of those reporting shortages 48 per cent reported shortages of bricklayers, 63 per cent of carpenters, 32 per cent of plasterers and 15 per cent of plumbers/ mechanical engineering services. Shortages were recorded across all categories of skilled labour, (Table 8)

Table 8
Percentage of firms reporting shortages of skilled labour 1988-1997

	Percent
1988	59
1989	41
1990	17
1991	4
1992	5
1993	6
1994	20
Q1	7
Q2	16
Q3	33
Q4	24
1995
Q1	17
Q2	22
Q3	26
Q4	22
1996
Q1	16
Q2	28
Q3	31
Q4	-
1997
Q1	32
Q2	38
Q3	47

Table 9
Percentage of firms reporting shortages by region

	Bricklayers	Carpenters	Plasterers	Plumbers
Northern	0	10	0	0
North West	18	23	9	5
Yorkshire & Trent	15	20	8	5
Midlands	17	28	17	3
Eastern	30	35	22	22
London	21	47	5	16
Southern	33	33	15	12
South West	28	46	21	13
South Wales	25	25	17	0
Total	21	30	13	9

First posted: 11 January 1999. Last modified: 27 July 1999.