§ Mr. Whitelaw,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 11th February, 1964; Vol. 689, col. 49] supplied the following information
The average annual percentage rates of unemployment for Denmark. Belgium, Italy, Canada and the United States of America are set out in the table below. These figures are based on information received through the International Labour Office.
Owing to differences in coverage, in definition of both "employment" and "unemployment", in methods of collecting statistics, and in the source of the data, these figures are not comparable either internationally or, necessarily, within a country over the period. For example in Denmark the percentages relate to unemployment amongst insured 19W members of trade union funds and are taken from trade union statistics; in the United States of America the percentages are based on Labour Force Sample Sur-
Year Annual average percentage rate of unemployment Denmark Belgium Italy Canada United States of America 1951 … … 9.7 9.8 8.8 4.9 3.0 1952 … … 12.5 8.3 9.5 6.1 2.7 1953 … … 9.2 11.8 10.0 7.0 2.4 1954 … … 8.0 10.9 10.0 9.7 5.0 1955 … … 9.7 8.4 9.8 9.3 4.2 1956 … … 11.1 7.0 9.9 7.4 4.2 1957 … … 10.2 5.5 9.0 9.5 4.3 1958 … … 9.6 8.5 9.0 13.1 6.8 1959 … … 6.1 9.5 8.7 6.0* 5.5 1960 … … 4.3 7.5 7.9 7.0 5.6 1961 … … 3.9 6.0 3.4* 7.2 6.7 1962 … … 3.3 5.1 3.0 5.9 5.6 1963 … … January-June only January-June only January and May only January-June only January-June only 5.2 6.7 3.5 7.0 6.2 * Method of calculation changed.