Manufacturing in Britain contributed to less than 15 per cent of economic output in 2003, new data has revealed.
The sector was responsible for more than 20 per cent in 1998, but has steadily fallen since then to 14.8 per cent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The business and financial services sector is now twice as important to the United Kingdom as manufacturing after the largest single part of the economy accounted for 31.7 per cent of output in 2003, up from 27.6 per cent five years earlier.
Computer and related services was the fastest growing industry between 1992 and 2003, while the area of hotels, catering and pubs featured among the 10 fastest-growing sectors over the past decade.
The total output of the whole economy was measured at £981.7 billion in 2003 - 5.5 per cent higher than 2002 and helping GDP to grow by 2.5 per cent, even though the manufacturing sector showed little growth.
The ONS said the contribution of the oil and gas sector was 2.8 per cent of the total, while agriculture's contribution rose back over 1 per cent after falling below the mark in 2001 for the first time, following the impact of foot and mouth disease.
Wholesale and retail trades grew by 5.4 per cent over 2002; the creative sector - which includes film, arts, publishing and advertising - accounted for 9.2 per cent of output and grew 115 per cent over the past decade.
PA