§ 6. Mr. Patrick ThompsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about employment figures in the United Kingdom and such equivalent information as he has for her European Community partners.
§ Mr. FowlerIn the latest three-year period for which information is available—between 1983 and 1986—the increase in employment in the United Kingdom of 920,000 was greater than in the rest of the Community combined. During 1987 the trend in the United Kingdom continued, and employment rose by a record 500,000.
§ Mr. ThompsonThat further good news on the employment front is welcome to all hon. Members. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the proportion of people with jobs is considerably higher in the United Kingdom than in the rest of the European Community, and can he state how the increase in employment in the United Kingdom compares with the employment situation of our competitors, West Germany and France?
§ Mr. FowlerThe proportion of the population of working age in employment is higher here than in any other Community country apart from Denmark. Four member countries experienced decreases in employment over the past 12 months; they were France, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. Apart from Britain, only Germany showed a substantial increase, and the German increase was no more than half as great as the increase in Britain.
§ Mr. GrocottAre not international comparisons of unemployment figures related to the length of the working year and the length of the working life? Given that words such as "harmonisation" are so popular these days, is it not time that we copied best European practice by introducing a 35-hour week and providing for six weeks' minimum annual leave and retirement at 60 for men who want it?
§ Mr. FowlerI do not know what sort of bill the hon. Gentleman has run up in a matter of 30 seconds, but I do not think that that is a very sensible proposition; I should be surprised to hear that it was the Opposition's policy. The hon. Gentleman asked where the figures came from. They are published by the statistical office of the European Communities in Luxembourg. They are comparable and they show the very good performance of the economy of this country compared with those of other countries in Europe.
§ Mr. YeoDoes my right hon. Friend agree that employment prospects in this country will not be improved if the Government block takeovers of British companies solely on the ground that the bidding company is controlled from overseas?
§ Mr. FowlerWe have to consider that matter case by case, but Britain and British companies have invested in or taken over companies overseas and we must expect the same to happen here at times.
§ Ms. ShortWill the Secretary of State confirm that comparable EEC figures for unemployment are based on the labour force survey? That shows a drop in unemployment of 157,000 in the United Kingdom since May 1986, yet the United Kingdom published figures claim a drop of 714,000. How does the Secretary of State explain the difference? Is not the bulk of the drop in United Kingdom unemployment explained by measures that push people off benefits and do not the figures give a very misleading account of the real level of unemployment in the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. FowlerThe hon. Lady is typically and absolutely wrong. In her comparison with the labour force survey she omitted to say that that survey shows a lesser unemployment figure than the benefit count. In other words if we used the labour force survey to show unemployment in this country, it would show a reduced rather than an increased number.