HC Deb 23 March 1978 vol 946 cc756-7W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the number of employment safeguarding and employment creating measures now operating; and if he will give the value of Government support for each in the coming financial year.

Mr. Golding

A table of financial details for those schemes which safeguard or create employment is given below:

of America showing the cost of the following items in terms of hours worked by the average wage earner: a pint of milk, a loaf of broad, one pound of sirloin of beef, a unit of electricity, a gallon of petrol, a transistor radio and a portable black and white television set.

Mr. Golding

The information given below is from the annual collection, for October, of price and earnings data by the Statistical Office of the European Communities and the International Labour Office. The latest information relates to October 1976. Prices of petrol, electricity, radios and television sets are not collected, and are not available on a comparable basis from other sources.

The hours of work have been calculated by reference to the average gross hourly earnings of manual workers in the manufacturing industries. Earnings figures for Italy are not available for October 1976. Comparable earnings data for Japan are not available.

Comparisons of this type involve considerable uncertainties. In particular, these arise from the variation in the systems of remuneration and taxation in the different countries, and from difference in quality of goods.

HOURS OF WORK REQUIRED TO EARN (BEFORE TAX) THE PRICES OF VARIOUS ITEMS OF FOOD AT OCTOBER 1976
I pint

of milk

 I loaf

of bread

(1¾ lb)

 I lb of

boneless

sirloin

of beef
United Kingdom* … 0.07 0.14 0.94
Francef† … 0.07 0.25 1.14
Germany … 0.06 0.20 1.25
Belgiumf† … 0.05 0.12 1.03
Denmarkf† … 0.04 0.17 0.63
Netherlands … 0.05 0.13 N/A
Ireland‡ … 0.06 0.14 0.86
Luxembourgt† … 0.05 0.11 N/A
USA§ … 0.05 0.14 0.37║
Notes:
* The average prices are derived from prices in 200 towns.
† Capital city prices.
‡ November 1976 prices and December 1976 earnings.
§ New York City.
║ With bone.
N/A Not available.

Sources:

(1) Prices: ILO Bulletin of Labour Statistics, 2nd Quarter 1976 and Irish Statistical Bulletin, December 1976.

(2) Earnings: Hourly Earnings and Hours of Work, Eurostat 2/1977; ILO Bulletin of Labour Statistics, 4th Quarter 1977.