<sod >Joe Grice, chief economist at the ONS, said: "For the last year or so, the economy does seem to have a better tone than in previous years." The preliminary results show output increased in three of the four main industrial groupings within the UK economy.< eod>< sod > Joe Grice, chief economist at the ONS, said: "We have now seen four successive quarters of significant growth and the economy does seem to be improving more consistently. "Today's estimate suggests over four-fifths of the fall in GDP during the recession has been recovered, although it still remains 1.3% below the pre-recession peak.< eod>