HC Deb 19 March 1998 vol 308 cc669-71W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the estimated gross domestic product per head for(a) each United Kingdom nation, (b) each English region and (c) the UK, expressed in current prices, for (i) 1970, (ii)1979, (iii) 1989 and (iv) the last two years for which figures are available. [34877]

Mrs. Liddell

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tom Holt to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 19 March 1998: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on gross domestic product (GDP) per head for the countries and regions of the United Kingdom. The available information is given in the attached table. With effect from April 1997, Government Office Regions (GORs) replaced Standard Statistical Regions (SSRs) as the primary classification for the presentation of statistics for the regions of England. GDP data are available from 1984 for GORs and from 1971 for SSRs. Data have been provided on both bases in the table.

Gross domestic product: United Kingdom, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and regions of England
£per head
1971 1979 1989 1995 1996
United Kingdom 886 3,052 7,702 10,376 10,944
United Kingdom less Continental Shelf 886 2,955 7.585 10,199 10,711
England 905 3,019 7,755 10,352 10,897
Wales 767 2,517 6.582 8,501 8,899
Scotland 831 2,802 7,113 10,224 10,614
Northern Ireland 688 2,334 5,832 8,423 8,700
Government Office Regions of England
North East 6,468 8,683 9,026
North West (GOR) and Merseyside 7,045 9,277 9,735
North West (GOR) 7,376 9,737 10,246
Merseyside 5,812 7,513 7,767
Yorkshire and the Humber 814 2,749 6,962 9,300 9,585
East Midlands 803 2,842 7,449 9,791 10,096
West Midlands 912 2,844 7,009 9,567 10,015
Eastern 8,412 10,974 11,655
London 1,091 3,791 9,440 12,490 13,210
South East (GOR) 8,437 11,369 12,263
South West 779 2,693 7,170 9,792 10,143
Standard Statistical Regions of England
North 811 2,694 6,754 8,995 9,354
North West (SSR) 871 2,847 6,960 9,172 9,631
Yorkshire and Humberside 814 2,749 6,962 9,300 9,585
East Midlands 803 2,842 7,449 9,791 10,096
West Midlands 912 2,844 7,009 9.567 10,015
East Anglia 845 2,786 7,694 10,258 10,689
South East (SSR) 1,018 3,425 8,908 11,821 12,641
Rest of South East 961 3,175 8,568 11,395 12,277
London 1,091 3,791 9,440 12,490 13,210
South West 779 2,693 7.170 9,792 10,143

Mr. Baker

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to recast GDP to take account of environmental factors. [35318]

Dawn Primarolo

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Norman Baker, dated 19 March 1998: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on GDP. The ONS is maintaining an active programme of work on calculating a 'satellite' environmental account. Techniques of environmental valuation are used by officials to assist in informing policy making. There are no current plans to use environmental valuation techniques to recast GDP. GDP is calculated by an internationally agreed procedure set out in the System of National Accounts (SNA68), SNA93 from September 1998, and subsequently in the European Union's European System of National Accounts (ESA93), ESA95 from September 1998. For further information the ONS published "The pilot UK environmental accounts" in Economic Trends in August 1996 and an article "Environmental Accounts—valuing the depletion of oil and gas reserves" published in April 1996. Copies of Economic Trends are available in the House of Commons Library.

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