Labour Force Participation Rates in the London Metropolitan Region

Summary This paper considers the factors which account for the variation in the proportion of males and females of working age who are economically active for the different boroughs in the London Metropolitan region. A multiple‐regression analysis was carried out using the Census of Population data for 1951 and 1961. The results for males are less interesting and of less economic significance than those for females. The male participation rate shows very little variation and seems to be influenced by only two variables, namely, the social class composition of the borough and the proportion of “institution inmates” resident in the borough. The situation for females is more complicated. The female participation rate exhibits more variability and several explanatory variables emerge as important. However, the key variable is the availability of local employment for females. The central position of this variable has direct economic significance in two important respects. The first of these arises when considering the problem of increasing the total labour force in the area. Secondly, a study of the residuals from the regression equations shows that some parts of the London region are noticeably deficient in female employment while the converse is true in other parts.