§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will compare the figures given in reply to the hon. Member for Chertsey and Walton (Mr. Pattie) [Official Report, 18 January 1979; Vol. 960, c. 853], showing wages and salaries per unit of output in manufacturing in selected countries, with similar figures for agriculture; and if he will include as many European Economic Community member States as possible.
§ Mr. GoldingThe latest available data for agriculture, which correspond as closely as possible to those given for manufacturing in my previous reply to the hon. Member for Chertsey and Walton (Mr. Pattie) are provided in the following table. The figures are not strictly 191W comparable owing to differences in national definitions and methods of compilation.
LABOUR COSTS (AT NATIONAL PRICES) PER UNIT OF OUTPUT IN AGRICULTURE Indices 1970 = 100 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 United Kingdom 100 106 121 137 164 206 229 230 France 100 114 112 124 146 170 185 201 Germany (F.R.) 100 103 105 104 104 107 112 114 Irish Republic 100 … … 130 127 126 154 156 Netherlands 100 102 114 123 128 140 156 166 United States 100 93 99 110 126 126 132 137 Canada 100 92 103 121 144 152 165 … Japan 100 101 102 109 120 130 … … … Not available. Sources:
Statistical Office of the European Community,
EEC Commission, Food and Agricultural Organisation, various national statistical publications.