The following is an unedited transcript of the news release from the Office for National Statistics.


In the first quarter of 2008, the seasonally adjusted chained volume index for the output of the production industries fell by 0.2 per cent compared with the previous quarter. Between February and March output of the manufacturing industries fell by 0.5 per cent.

There were widespread falls in manufacturing, with a significant decrease in output of 1.3 per cent in the transport equipment industries. There were no significant increases. In the latest quarter, manufacturing output increased by 0.3 per cent, while mining and quarrying output
decreased by 4.6 per cent and output of the electricity, gas and water supply industries decreased by 1.3 per cent, compared with the previous quarter.

Mining and quarrying

In the latest quarter, mining and quarrying output fell by 4.6 per cent compared with the previous quarter and was 4.5 per cent lower than the same period a year ago. Between February and March, mining and quarrying output increased by 0.5 per cent with a rise in gas production.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing output in the latest quarter rose by 0.3 per cent compared with the previous quarter. There were significant increases in output of 2.4 per cent in the chemicals and man-made fibres industries and 1.8 per cent in the machinery and equipment industries. There were no significant decreases. Manufacturing output in the latest quarter was 1.0 per cent higher than the same period a year ago.

Electricity, gas and water supply

Output of the electricity, gas and water supply industries in the latest quarter fell by 1.3 per cent compared with the previous quarter. Between February and March, energy supply output decreased by 1.4 per cent. In the latest quarter, output in this sector was 1.7 per cent higher compared with the same period a year ago.

Market sectors

In the latest quarter, output of the consumer durable goods industries rose by 1.9 per cent compared with the previous quarter but was 0.2 per cent lower than the same period a year
ago. Output in the consumer non-durable goods industries rose by 0.2 per cent in the latest quarter compared with the previous quarter but was 0.1 per cent lower than the same period a year ago.

In the latest quarter, output of the capital goods industries remained unchanged compared with the previous quarter but was 2.1 per cent higher than the same period a year ago. Output in the intermediate goods and energy industries fell by 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter compared with the previous quarter but was 0.3 per cent higher than the same period a year ago.


Available at:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/iop0508.pdf