§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest available figures for(a) GDP and (b) GDP per head, for the four countries of the United Kingdom, including the continental shelf, in (i)current and (ii)1996–97 prices; what proportion of GDP for the United Kingdom continental shelf is ascribed to each country in these figures; and what would be the equivalent figure for Scottish GDP and Scottish GDP per head if 90 per cent. of the United Kingdom continental shelf were in the Scottish totals. [19406]
§ Mr. Waldegrave[holding answer 11 March 1997]: The table shows the figures available. Estimates of GDP at factor cost by region are available only in current prices. The continental shelf is treated in the regional accounts as a separate region, and hence its estimated GDP can not be ascribed to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Estimates of GDP and GDP per head at factor cost in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Continental Shelf, 1995(current prices) GDP(£ million) GDP per head (£) England 504,893 10,324 Scotland 50,713 9,872 Wales 24,618 8,440 Northern Ireland 13,868 8,410 Continental shelf 10,348 — Notes:
1. Ninety per cent. of the GDP of the continental shelf is equal to £9,313 million.
2. Since there is no resident population in the continental shelf region GDP per head for the continental shelf cannot be calculated.
3. The GDP for the UK continental shelf comprises profits and stock appreciation which cannot be assigned to regions of the UK. The income from employment of continental shelf employees is, however, allocated to the region of residence of the employee and cannot be separately identified within the regional GDP estimates.
4. Estimates of GDP by region at factor cost are only available in current prices, which means that an increase over time reflects inflation as well as real growth. There are no regional price indices which could be used to remove the effect of inflation from the figures. Constant price estimates could be made using UK price indices, but these would be misleading if prices and price changes had varied significantly between different parts of the UK.
Source:
Economic Trends, January and February 1997 edition.