Manufacturing

HC Deb 23 July 1990 vol 177 c1W

Mr. French

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the manufacturing sector productivity growth for each European Community country on the nearest comparable basis for the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norman Lamont

Following are the relevant data.

Average annual percentage growth of Labour Productivity in Manufacturing
	1986–89
United Kingdom	5.2
Germany	2.3
France	4.9
Italy	14.8
Belgium	n/a
Netherlands	-1.2
Spain	1.2
1 The figure for Italy is for 1986–88.

Sources: OECD Main Economic Indicators

OECD Quarterly Labour Force Statistics

CSO Economic Trends.

Of the major EC countries for which data are available, the United Kingdom has had the fastest growth of labour productivity in manufacturing since 1986. Reliable data for other EC countries are not available.