§ 15. Mr. Dykesasked the Paymaster General what information he has about the methods used to compile unemployment figures in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.
§ Mr. LangThe OECD published "Standardised unemployment rates" in 1985. This gives a detailed description of the sources and methods it uses in compiling unemployment figures from national sources and the rates derived from these figures.
§ Mr. DykesI thank my hon. Friend for that answer, but since on a pro rata basis the United Kingdom figures appear to be higher than those in the other large countries in the OECD and the EEC, should not we be the country to take an initiative in both those bodies to stimulate the collective economy?
§ Mr. LangMy hon. Friend makes an interesting point. It is difficult to make comparisons between the different methods of calculating unemployment figures, but it is interesting to note that we have a higher proportion of our work force in work than almost any other OECD country. The OECD expects employment in the United Kingdom to rise faster this year than in any other major European country.