Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any decline in employment in the UK services sector; and what steps they are taking to boost employment in this sector.

According to the Office for National Statistics employment in the UK service sector continues to increase, and has done so over both the long and short term, with the latest figure standing at a record high of 29 million in the third quarter of 2018. Q4 employment figures are due in March.

The Government works closely with the sector to understand sector issues through the industry-led Professional and Business Services Council (PBSC). The Council is made up of representatives from the PBS sector, and has a number of working groups focusing on important issues and opportunities for growth and employment in the sector.