The study, first published in 1973, suggests that government policies had very little effect on the employment structures of the sub-regions at this time, despite government intervention and policy objectives in Great Britain to reduce levels of unemployment in the depressed regions and curb congestion in the Midland and South East England conurbations. Instead, regional employment structures seemed to be determined by what was happening to industries at a national level. This study will be of interest to students of economy and geography.