GROWTH in public sector jobs has mainly been in frontline education and health services, not admin staff, since Labour came to power, according to a new report today.

The percentage of public sector jobs compared to total employment in the UK has increased only by 0.6% to 18.1% since 1997, the analysis found.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said public sector employment was lower than in 1992 when it accounted for 21.3% of the total.

Richard Brooks, senior research fellow in economics at the IPPR, said: "Since 1998 the Labour Government has significantly increased public sector employment in education and health care, but not in other areas.

"The growth in public sector employment has not been driven by increased employment of central or local government administrative staff.

"As a result, a higher proportion of public sector jobs are now providing frontline services in health and education."

The institute suggested that local pay supplements would help retain key public sector workers.

Problems filling vacancies in health, education and public administration were found in Shropshire, Durham, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Birmingham as well as the South East, said the report.