Reasons for the Decline in Numbers Employed in the Primary Sector in the UK

Reasons for the Decline in Numbers Employed in the Primary Sector in the UK

1. Depletion of Resourses

   • We have used most of our raw materials (e.g. coal). What is left is expensive and/or dangerous to mine.

2. Cheap Imports

   • Many mines have closed as we can get cheaper raw materials from abroad (e.g. iron ore from Norway).
     • Meaning that it is more economically viable to import, rather than wasting valuable time and money on mining our own resources.
     • Another example is the coal that we get from Russia.

3. Mechanisation

   • Machines now do many of the jobs people used to do (e.g. painting cars in Toyota factory).
     • This reduces the amount of jobs that are in the secondary sector.

4. Social Change

   • Primary jobs are seen as more physically demanding with few career prospects.
     • Therefore, most people do not like the idea of doing jobs in the primary sector.
     • People dislike getting their hands dirty.

5. Government Attitudes to the Value of Primary Industry

   • Primary industry generally doesn't make the government as much money, so they do not invest as much money into it.
     • Therefore, the majority of the money that is spent on attracting industries goes to the Tertiary sector.