HC Deb 25 July 1960 vol 627 cc1076-7
40. Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Minister of Labour if he will collate statistics showing the comparative wages, earnings and social insurance payments in various countries, and issue them as an official publication, as is done by the Department of Statistics of the French Government.

Mr. Heath

Information about wages, earnings and social security charges in other countries is regularly published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette. Comparative wages and earnings are also shown in the I.L.O. Yearbook of Labour Statistics and in the monthly International Labour Review. These publications are available in the Library, and I see no need for a special publication.

Mr. Ellis Smith

I accept that reply, but there are more interested in statistics of this kind than Members of the House of Commons. There is industry generally, for instance. Should not the Ministry issue a publication of the same kind as that issued in France and other countries in order that we may be able to compare like with like when negotiations are taking place?

Mr. Heath

I have looked at the sort of thing which is published in France. To collate all the information for which the hon. Gentleman asks would be a tremendous undertaking. I think he will find that those who are particularly interested in statistics of this kind have these publications available to them.

Mr. Prentice

But is not the informamation in the Ministry of Labour Gazette just piecemeal information about one industry in one country at a time? Why cannot the Government publish comparative information of the kind suggested by my hon. Friend? Is it that they would find it rather embarrassing now to make comparisons between progress made here and progress in countries with a faster rate of economic growth where real earnings and social insurance benefits are increasing faster than they are in Britain under a Conservative Government?

Mr. Heath

That is certainly not the reason. I think everyone will agree that the statistics are published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette quite impartially and that journal has a very high reputation for its integrity.