HC Deb 26 March 1974 vol 871 cc110-1W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross national product has been taken by wage earners in each of the past 30 years.

Dr. Gilbert

Total income from employment as a percentage of gross national product at factor cost in each year since 1946 is given in the following table:

INCOME FROM EMPLOYMENT* AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT
1946 64.8 1960 65.9
1947 65.7 1961 67.4
1948 64.7 1962 67.8
1949 64.6 1963 66.8
1950 64.8 1964 66.9
1951 65.6 1965 67.2
1952 65.0 1966 68.2
1953 64.8 1967 67.7
1954 65.0 1968 67.7
1955 66.1 1969 67.9
1956 67.1 1970 69.6
1957 67.3 1971 69.2
1958 67.0 1972 68.8
1959 66.5 1973 68.1
* Wages and salaries, Forces' pay, and employers' contributions to national insurance. etc., and pension funds.

Separate figures for wages—as distinct from salaries—are not available. Information is not available for 1944 and 1945, but the figures given cover the last 28 years.

It is considered more appropriate to take total income from employment than wages and salaries as the basis for "the percentage of gross national product by wage earners" since employers' contributions to national insurance and pension funds are for the benefit of their employees and are included in gross national product. Other forms of income which may be received by wage or salary earners, such as dividend income from pension fund investments for example, are not of course covered in the percentage shares shown.

The figures given are consistent with those published in the National Income and Balance of Payments White Paper on Thursday 21st March.

PAYMENTS OF DEBT INTEREST ADJUSTED TO 1970 PURCHASING POWER
(£ million)
1950 1960 1970 1971 1972 1973
(i) Before deducting identified payments to other parts of the public sector:
(a) Central Government … … 1,035 1,263 1,298 1,265 1,364 1,405
(b)Local authorities … … 166 423 1,068 1,009 993 1,096
(c)Public corporations … … 187 425 781 786 777 871
(ii) After deducting identified payments to other parts of the public sector:
(a)Central Government … … 1,035 1,263 1,298 1,265 1,364 1,405
(b)Local authorities … … 90 242 728 644 605 671
(c)Public corporations … … 168 212 121 110 96 177

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing total debt interest paid by local authorities in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1971 and 1972 expressed (a) at 1970 prices, and (b) as a percentage of total local authority current expenditure.

Dr. Gilbert

Payments of debt interest by local authorities, expressed in terms of 1970 purchasing power, are given for

1950 1960 1970 1971 1972
(1) Debt interest* (£ million) … … … … 81 287 1,068 1,104 1,164
(2) Total current expenditure† (£ million) … … 709 1,726 5,033 5,593 6,369
(3) (1) as percentage of (2) … … … … 11.4 16.6 21.2 19.7 18.3
* Includes debt interest on housing and trading services.
† As defined for the national accounts; excludes current expenditure on housing and trading services except where subsidised from the rate-fund.