Redundancy watch

In the public sector recent announcements of job losses include the Forensic Science Service which is to close by 2012 with the loss of 1,600 jobs in Birmingham, Chepstow, Chorley, London, Huntingdon and Wetherby, and Skills Development Scotland which is cutting 125 jobs.

In local government Manchester City Council is planning to cut 2,000 jobs; Hull City Council is making 1,400 workers redundant; Leicestershire County Council (1,000); London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (700); Darlington Unitary Authority (360); Swindon Unitary Authority (238); and Scarborough Borough Council (60).

Elsewhere in the public sector police authorities are also making huge cuts, including the West Midlands Police Authority which is threatening to cut 2,250 jobs; Merseyside Police Authority (1,800); Thames Valley Police Authority (800); Lancashire Police Authority (1,000); Cheshire Police Authority (500); Northumbria Police Authority (450); Cumbria Police Authority (300).

Apart from the Forensic Science Service and Skills Development Scotland all these figures are drawn from statutory notices of potential redundancies.

In the private sector, among the larger scale job losses to have been announced are those in:

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals: Aptuit is to close plants at Riccarton and Livingston with the loss of 340 jobs.

Construction: Tarmac is cutting 550 jobs in Lincolnshire, Somerset, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Powys; and St Leger Homes is shedding 100 jobs in Doncaster.