§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage rise in the average industrial wage in the United Kingdom since 1965 in real terms; and, from information available from international sources, how this compares with the figures for each of the other member countries of the EEC.
§ Mr. John GrantFor each member country of the EEC the attached table
PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN AVERAGE EARNINGS IN MANUFACTURING AND IN CONSUMER PRICE INDICES SINCE 1965 Country Period covered Percentage increase in average gross hourly earnings(7) Percentage increase in consumer prices index(7) Belgium … March 1965 to March 1976 … 254.2(1) 92.0(2) Denmark … 1st quarter 1965 to 4th quarter 1975 … 323.7(3) 132.7 France … January 1965 to January 1976 … 236.4(4) 100.2 Germany … January 1965 to January 1976 … 141.4 58.3 Ireland … 1st quarter 1965 to 3rd quarter 1975 … 336.2 145.7 Italy … January 1965 to December 1975 … 284.0(4) 109.8 Luxembourg … October 1965 to October 1974 … 138.0 50.8(2) Netherlands … January 1965 to October 1975 … 212.0(5) 103.7 United Kingdom … October 1965 to October 1975 … 217.3(6) 141.6 Notes:
(1) Earnings in mining, manufacturing and transport.
(2) Excludes rent.
(3) Earnings in mining and manufacturing (wage earners).
(4) Wage rates.
(5) Hourly rates in industry, including mining and construction, males only.
(6) Weekly earnings of all full-time manual workers in manufacturing.
(7) To obtain percentage increases in average earnings and prices it has been necessary to link index number series with different base years and different weighting patterns.
Source: OECD Main Economic Indicators.