§ Mr. Hayhoeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table, from international sources, showing the overall national income per head of population in the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community as a whole, and the percentage increase in income per head in the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community between 1958 and the latest year for which comparative figures are available.
§ Mr. HigginsThe figures are given in the table below. 437W The figures for the European Economic Community are taken from the E.E.C. National Accounts 1959 to 1969, in which they are shown in dollars as a convenient way of combining data in the different national currencies. The United Kingdom figures are also shown in dollars as well as in sterling. It should be noted, however, that the E.E.C. publication includes a warning that international exchange rates do not necessarily reflect the relations between the domestic purchasing power of currencies, and therefore a comparison of dollar values cannot be regarded as providing a precise measure of the real difference of level between countries. In particular, the use of international exchange rates affects the percentage increase between 1958 and 1969. The figures for the United Kingdom are converted at $2.80 to the £ in 1958 and $2.40 in 1969 due to the devaluation of 1967. The comparison for the Community is affected by devaluation in France in 1958 and 1969, by revaluation in Germany in 1961 and 1969 and in the Netherlands also in 1961. The 1958 figures for Germany, incorporated in the total for the Community, exclude the Saar and West Berlin which are included in 1969. This, however, has little effect on incomes per head.
In national currencies Revalued at official exchange rates Year Unit Total national income Average annual rate of increase Total national income Thousand million dollars Average annual rate of increase United Kingdom 1958 £ million 18,682 6.0 52.31 4.5 1969 35,359 84.86 Belgium 1959 thousand million B francs 430.10 7.7 8.60 7.7 1969 903.40 18.07 France 1958 thousand million francs 192.99 10.0 41.68 8.9 1969 549.03 106.01 Germany 1960 thousand million DM 235.70 7.7 56.12 8.4 1969 457.95 116.27 Italy 1958 thousand million lire 15,233.00 9.6 24.37 9.6 1969 41,687.00 66.70 Netherlands 1958 thousand million guilders 29.56 9.9 7.78 10.4 1969 83.76 23.14 Luxembourg 1958 thousand million B francs 16.69 5.8 0.33 5.8 1968 29.21 0.58