Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ratification: 1987)

The Committee notes the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the Governing Body’s decision at its 338th Session (June 2020) (particularly the information concerning measures taken in response to the COVID 19 pandemic). The Committee proceeded to examine the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information provided this year, as well as of the information available to it in 2019.

Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention. Economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment statistics. Structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Committee notes the statistics provided by the Government in relation to employment, unemployment and underemployment, as well as in relation to the structure and distribution of the economically active population. It notes the Government’s indication that there have been no changes since the last report and that Articles 7 and 8 continue to be applied. In its supplementary information, the Government indicates that, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reviewed all publications and data published, which has led to the postponement of some publications and datasets. In particular, the Government reports replacing face-to-face interviews with telephone interviewing, the imputation for non-response to the Labour Force Survey and the weighting methodology used. The Committee also notes the additional information communicated by the Government in relation to the planned census, providing links to the Census Regulations 2020 in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The Government indicates that the census in Scotland has now been postponed until 2022. The Committee requests the Government to continue to communicate information on the measures implemented in view of the ongoing pandemic and the ways in which the crisis affects data collection, the application of underlying methodology and data publication. It further requests the Government to provide relevant information, including methodological information in relation to the upcoming census as soon as practicable.

Articles 9, 10 and 11. Statistics of average earnings and hours of work, wage structure and distribution, and statistics of labour cost. The Committee notes that the main sources of statistics on earnings, hours of work and labour cost are the Business Register Employment Survey (BRES), a sample survey which has replaced the Annual Business Inquiry since 2009, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings – Northern Ireland, the Index of Average Earnings and the Index of Labour Costs per Hour (ILCH).The Government indicates that given the creation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in the United Kingdom, the ONS will consider revising the base definition for analysis (namely, employees on adult pay rates who have not suffered loss of pay due to absence from work). The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on statistics on earnings, hours of work and labour costs, as well as corresponding methodological information. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of developments in relation to the nature and impact of any revisions to the base definition for analysis.

Article 12. Consumer price indices. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that there have been no changes since its last report. In its previous comments, the Committee requested information with respect to the new advisory panels on consumer prices created in 2015. The Committee reiterates its request that the Government provide information with respect to the new advisory panels, including their functioning and impact on the calculation of consumer price indices.

Article 14. Statistics on occupational injuries. The Committee notes that the most recent statistics on occupational injuries received from the Government pertain to 2018. The Committee requests the Government to provide the most recent annual statistics on fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, disaggregated by economic activity and occupation, derived from the Labour Inspectorate records, and as far as possible to provide the most recent annual statistics on occupational diseases, similarly disaggregated.

Article 15. Statistics of industrial disputes. The Committee notes that on the ONS website, under the heading “Coronavirus – Impact on labour market outputs”, it is indicated that the data collection and publication in relation to labour disputes will cease for the foreseeable future and that data for the missing periods will not be available at a later time. On the other hand, the Committee also recalls that the Government regularly provides statistics to the ILO on strikes, disaggregated by economic activity, via its annual questionnaire on labour statistics. In its previous comments, the Committee requested that the Government provide information in relation to the definition of “political strikes” and indicate the reasons for their exclusion from statistical coverage. The Committee requests the Government to provide clarification with respect to the indication on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website that data collection and publication regarding labour disputes will cease for the foreseeable future. In addition, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information regarding the definition of “political strikes” and indicate the reasons for their exclusion from statistical coverage.