HL Deb 20 April 2000 vol 612 cc139-41WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish the gross output figures for the United Kingdom in £ million at 1948 prices showing the changes that have occurred in the industries specified below from 1948 to latest available date in 10-year steps: coal mining; steel production; shipbuilding; agriculture; motor vehicle manufacture; and textiles. [HL2120]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.

Letter to Lord Marlesfordfrom the Economic Statistics Director of the Office for National Statistics, Mr John Kidgell, dated 19 April 2000.

The Director of the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent question on gross output figures. I am replying in the Director's absence.

Gross output figures for agriculture, forestry and fishing are shown below, at 10-yearly intervals, in £ million at 1948 prices. These figures have been derived by applying movements in the index of output for agriculture, forestry and fishing to the 1948 gross output level. This is the only industry for which it has been possible to provide data at 1948 prices.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Year £ million (1948 prices)
1948 642
1958 794
1968 1,047
1978 1,296
1988 1,678
1998 1,821
1999 1,873

Gross output figures for all industries except the agriculture industry have been obtained by applying indices of output of the production industries to 1995 gross output base figures. These figures are shown in the attached tables.

Gross output figures for the coal industry, at ten-yearly intervals, in £ million at 1995 prices.
Year coal—£ million (1995 prices)
1948 17,493
1958 17,792
1968 12,525
1978 7,496
1988 5,769
1998 1,939
1999 1,743

Without incurring significant expense it is not possible to obtain data prior to 1978 in respect of the shipbuilding, textiles and motor vehicle manufacture industries. The same is true for the iron and steel industry before 1983. Annual figures are shown below.

Gross output figures fir Textiles, Iron and Steel, Motor Vehicles and Shipbuilding.
Year Textiles Iron and Steel Motor Vehicles Shipbuilding
Figures are in £ million at 1995 prices
1978 13,339 25,653 4,439
1979 12,968 23,688 4,157
1980 10,884 20,674 3,900
1981 9,954 16,585 4,061
1982 9,714 15,970 4,333
1983 10,933 5,778 16,767 3,908
1984 11,275 5,107 16,046 3,632
1985 11,779 6,154 16,928 3,193
1986 11,581 6,465 16,003 3,048
1987 12,200 7,639 17,401 2,776
1988 12,296 8,639 20,066 3,452
1984 11,985 8,655 21,157 3,388
1990 11,737 8,176 19,479 2,934
1991 10,603 7.648 17.350 2,852
1992 10,587 7,400 17,703 2,348
1993 10,507 7,698 17,760 2,196
1994 10,595 8,041 19,112 2,245
1995 10,170 8,212 20,313 1,986
1996 9,965 8,301 21,454 2,470
1997 10,049 8,620 21,401 2,245
1998 9,355 7,939 77,385 2,371
1999 9,032 7,609 22,684 2,619