Productivity Down By 1.4%

Whole economy output/worker productivity decreased by 1.4% Q4 2009 compared with same period last year from a fall of 3.3% on the previous quarter. Quarter-on-quarter output/worker productivity increased 0.5% up from 0.2% in the previous quarter. Output fell by 2.8% in the quarter from a fall of 4.9% in the previous quarter. Another measure of productivity looks at it in terms of output per hour worked. Using this measure, productivity fell by 0.3% in Q4 2009 compared with last year. Total hours worked fell by 2.5% on last year. Comparing the sectors shows that manufacturing output/hour increased by 3.9% and services decreased by 1.2%.

In the service industries output/job fell by 2% in Q4 2009 compared with the previous year. The fall in the previous quarter was 3.4%. Output/hour deceased by 1.2% from 2.3% in the previous quarter. Business services and finance output/job fell 3.9% and output/hour fell 3%. Manufacturing output/job productivity increased by 2.8% and output/hour increased by 3.9% on the same quarter last year. Unit wage costs were up 2.4% on last year's 4.2%. In agriculture, forestry and fisheries, slow growth sectors, output/job fell by 7.4% and output/hour by 13.5%. Manufacturing unit wage costs increased by 0.4%.

Across the regions in 2008, productivity measures show GVA per job to be highest in London at 140.9 (national average = 100) and lowest in Wales and Northern Ireland at 84. Scotland was 95.4. In England, the average was 101.8, the lowest were the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber at 87.4. The GVA per hour measure shows London the highest at 132.7 and Northern Ireland the lowest at 81.4. Wales reported 86.4 and Scotland 96.3. In England, the average was 101.7 but the lowest was the North West at 87.9. GVA per head was highest in London with 170.6, and lowest was Wales with 74. Northern Ireland reported 78.7 and Scotland 97.5. In England the lowest was the North East with 77. The average for England was 102.5.