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Index of production for Scotland for the fourth quarter of 1998
05/05/1999
PREPARED BY THE GOVERNMENT STATISTICAL SERVICE
Output in the Production industries in Scotland showed an increase of 2.1 per cent in the year to 1998, according to provisional estimates released today by the Economics Advice and Statistics Division of The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department. Estimates show that the Manufacturing sector also showed an increase of 2.1 per cent over the same period.
The main findings are:
- In 1998, output in the Production sector increased by 2.1 per cent compared with 1997. In the fourth quarter of 1998, output increased by 0.2 per cent compared with the preceding quarter. The equivalent figures for the UK are 0.6 per cent and -0.9 per cent respectively.
- In 1998, output in the Manufacturing sector increased by 2.1 per cent. In the fourth quarter of 1998, output decreased by 0.4 per cent, compared with the preceding quarter. The equivalent figures for the UK are 0.3 per cent and -1.3 per cent respectively.
- In 1998, output in the Electricity, Gas, and Water sector increased by 2.4 per cent. In the fourth quarter of 1998, output increased by 4.2 per cent compared with quarter 3. The equivalent figures for the UK are 2.1 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.
- In 1998, within the Manufacturing sector, output in Electrical and Instrument Engineering increased by 9.5 per cent compared with 1997.
BACKGROUND
1. The Index of Production for Scotland is compiled on the standard industrial classification SIC92.
2. In theory, the Index of Industrial Production should measure the changes in value of output by the production process of each industry. The index is a weighted average of 319 individual series, where the weights are derived, for the most part, from the value added to output by each industry in the base year, as measured by the Annual Census of Production. Since value added figures are not available on a regular basis, proxy indicators are used. Almost 80 per cent of the series which make up the Index use deflated sales or production as an indicator, while most of the remaining series are measured by changes in volume of sales or production. Over time, as the prices of both inputs and outputs of an industry change relative to those of other industries, or the efficiency of the industries alters, the movement of the proxy indicators will relate less closely to changes in the value added during production.
3. The figures in the News Release incorporate revisions due to later and revised data and the updating of seasonal adjustment factors.
4. The indices published in this news release are based on 1995=100.
5. Provisional figures for the first quarter of 1999 for output in the Production industries in Scotland will be published on Wednesday, August 4, 1999.
Mercury and Profile users may obtain a copy of the Index tables by telephoning the number below.
Issued by:
Economics Advice & Statistics Division
The Scottish Office Education and Industry Dept
Meridian Court
Cadogan Street
Glasgow
G2 6AT
Statistician: Hugh McAloon: Telephone: 0141 242 5497
News Release: 0987/99
5 May 1999