HC Deb 24 February 1976 vol 906 cc187-90W
Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the total work force is employed in the manufacturing and service sectors, respectively, in each of the member countries of the EEC according to the latest available figures.

Mr. John Fraser

There is no information from international sources for comparisons of the work force in manufacturing as that sector is normally defined in the United Kingdom. The table below gives work-force comparisons for a wider industry sector which includes manufacturing. In 1974 about 32 per cent. of the work force in the United Kingdom was in manufacturing.

I regret that information for Denmark and Ireland is not available.

Percentage of employed labour force in:
Industry Services
United Kingdom 43.7 53.6
Germany 47.3 45.8
France 39.1 50.0
Italy 44.3 40.5
Netherlands 40.0 53.8
Belgium 42.9 52.1
Luxembourg 42.2 48.9

Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the total work force are employed in the public sector—excluding publicly owned industries—in each of the member countries of the EEC according to the latest available statistics.

Mr. John Fraser

I regret that the information is not available. The public sector, as commonly understood, covers varying proportions of the total work force in EEC but these proportions cannot be calculated from the available information.

Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average amount of overtime worked in each of the member countries of the EEC according to the latest available figures.

Mr. John Fraser

In Great Britain the average number of hours of overtime worked per operative working overtime in manufacturing industries was 8.5 in December 1975. Information on overtime worked is not available for Northern Ireland nor for other member countries of the EEC.

Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average number of hours worked per week in each of the member countries of the EEC according to the latest available figures.

Mr. John Fraser

The latest available estimates from international sources on the average number of hours worked per week are given in the table below. I regret that comparable information is not available for Denmark.

AVERAGE WEEKLY HOURS OF WORK PER MANUAL WORKER
Country Date Average Weekly Hours
United Kingdom October 1974 42.9
Germany October 1974 41.7
France October 1974 43.8
Italy April 1974 41.7
Netherlands October 1973 43.0
Belgium October 1974 39.5
Luxembourg October 1974 43.6
Ireland December 1974 41.3

Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average length of holidays, including public holidays, enjoyed by workers in each of the member countries of the EEC, according to the latest available figures.

PAID HOLIDAYS IN 1974 FOR ADULT WORKERS
United Kingdom Belgium Germany
Annual Paid Holidays (days)
(a) Basic holidays for adults paid by legislation 18 15–18
(b) Basic holidays for adults laid down in collective agreements 15–18 21–23 20–26
Public Holidays
(a) Public holidays paid for and not worked fixed by legislation 7 10 10–13
(b) Public holidays paid for and not worked fixed by legislation and laid down in collective agreements 7–8 10 10–13
France Italy Luxembourg
Annual Paid Holidays (days)
(a) Basic holidays for adults paid by legislation 24 12 18–24
(b) Basic holidays for adults laid down in collective agreements 24 18–24 18–24
Public Holidays
(a) Public holidays paid for and not worked fixed by legislation 1 16 10
(b) Public holidays paid for and not worked fixed by legislation and laid down in collective agreements 8–10 17–18 10
Netherlands Ireland Denmark
Annual Paid Holidays (days)
(a) Basic holidays for adults paid by legislation 15–18 10–12 24
(b) Basic holidays for adults laid down in collective agreements 19–21 15–18 24
Public Holidays
(a) Public holidays paid for and not worked fixed by legislation 7
(b) Public holidays paid for and not worked fixed by legislation and laid down in collective agreements 7 7–8

Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the total population constitutes the workforce in each of the member countries of the EEC according to the latest available figures.

Mr. John Fraser

The latest available comparable data showing the work force as a percentage of the total population are given in the table below.

Labour force as a proportion of total population 1973
per cent.
United Kingdom 44.8
Germany 42.4
France 41.8
Italy 33.2
Netherlands 35.0
Belgium 37.4
Luxembourg 38.9
Ireland 36.4
Denmark 47.9

Mr. John Fraser

The latest available information on the length of holidays in the member countries of the EEC is given in the table below.