§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in view of his use of the figures for relative unit labour costs in the Financial Statement, Red Book, for 1980–81, he will publish this index regularly in Economic Trends and the monthly review of external trade statistics;
(2) further to his reply, Official Report, 22 July, column 146, on the index of relative normal unit labour costs, why the International Monetary Fund figures continue to be used in Economic Trends and the monthly review of external trade statistics: and if he will replace the one or publish both;
(3) why he used the index of relative unit labour costs in page 22 of the Financial Statement, Red Book, for 1980–81; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table for relative unit labour costs corresponding to the figures of relative normal unit labour costs given in his answer, Official Report, 22 July, column 146;
(4) further to his answer, Official Report, 3 July, column 674–6, concerning the assumptions on which the index of relative normal unit labour costs is based, whether he will publish in the Official Report the assumed increase in productivity growth in manufacturing used in the medium term forecast; and whether he has notified the International Monetary Fund of this figure to enable it to take it into account in its own calculations.
§ Mr. LawsonI regret that in the time available it has not been possible to provide the information requested. I shall write to the hon. Member.