HC Deb 12 July 1976 vol 915 cc99-101W
Mr. Forman

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the the latest convenient date, both in terms of the relevant local currency and converted to £ sterling at the appropriate exchange rate (a) the average household expenditure in each member State of the EEC and (b) the average household income in each member State of the EEC;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the latest convenient date, both in terms of the relevant local currency and converted to £ sterling at the appropriate exchange rate, for each member State of the EEC (a) average household expenditure on food, (b) average household expenditure on rent, (c) average amount taken per household in central Government taxes, (d) average amount taken per household in local taxes, (e) average household expenditure on housing, including rent, (f) average household expenditure on drink and tobacco, (g) average household expenditure on transport services, (h) average household expenditure on lighting and heating, and (i) average household expenditure on durable goods.

Mr. Denzil Davies

Although estimates of average household expenditure in the United Kingdom are published in the reports of the Family Expenditure Survey, comparable data for other EEC countries are not available. Estimates based on national accounts expenditure data and the number of households in each country would be subject to wide margins of error and reflect differences in average household size. Furthermore, the conversion from national currencies to £ sterling at official or market rates of exchange would be misleading and purchasing power parities for individual categories of household spending are not generally available. For detailed estimates of per capita consumption relating to France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in 1970 I would refer the hon. Member to "A system of international comparisons of gross product and purchasing power" published by the World Bank in 1975, in particular Table 14.5.

Mr. Forman

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the latest convenient date for each member State of the EEC (a) the percentage of average household income spent on food, (b>) the percentage of average household income spent on rent, (c) the percentage of average household income taken by central Government taxes, (d) the percentage of average household income taken in local taxes, (e) the percentage of average household income spent on housing, excluding rent, (f) the percentage of average household income spent on drink and tobacco, (g) the percentage of average household income spent on transport, (h) the percentage of average household income spent on heating and lighting and (i) the percentage of average household income spent on durable goods.

Mr. Denzil Davies

Comparisons of the kind requested are difficult to interpret because the scope of household income and expenditure may differ from country to country. In the member States of the EEC a particular difficulty arises from the fact that arrangements for the provision of medical care vary significantly. Country table 7 in "National accounts—Detailed tables 1970–1974" published

PERCENTAGE SHARE OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE AT CURRENT PRICES EXCLUDING MEDICAL CARE AND HEALTH EXPENSES, 1974
Food (item 11) Alcoholic drink and Tobacco (items 13 and 14) Rent (item 31) Heating and lighting (item 32) Transport (items 61–63) Durable goods (item 43)
Belgium(1) 23.0 3.9(7) 10.1 5.5 11.0 2.2
Luxembourg(1) 27.4(7) 18.0 13.4(2) ֵ(3)
Denmark(1)(4)(5)(8) 20.8 9.1 (7) 12.5 11.5(2) ֵ(3)
France 24.0 4.8(7) 12.0 4.0 11.6 1.7
West Germany(5) 20.3 4.6 (7) 12.4 5.0 11.8 ֵ(3)
Irish Republic (1)(4)(9) 26.5 16.5 (7) 6.4 4.1 9.9(6) 1.3
Italy(1) 34.1 6.0(7) 11.4 3.7 10.8 1.1
Netherlands(1) 23.0 5.6(7) 10.8 4.3 9.6 1.8
United Kingdom(1) 18.7 12.1 14.1 4.4 12.2 1.3

(1) Includes collective consumption of private non-profit institutions.

(2) Includes communications since only total is shown. If communications were included in the "transport" category for the remaining EEC countries the percentages would be as follows: Belgium 11.7; France 12.2; West Germany 12.8; Irish Republic 10.6; Italy 11.8; Netherlands 11.1; United Kingdom 13.6.

(3) No figures available.

(4) As no separate figures are shown for medical care, the percentages shown are of final consumption.

(5) The drink and tobacco category includes non-alcoholic drink.

(6) Includes expenditure on packaged tours.

(7) Excludes expenditure on alcoholic beverages and tobacco in restaurants, cafes and hotels.

(8) The categories of expenditure given exclude the final consumption of non-resident households on the economic territory, which is included in total expenditure.

(9) 1973 figures are the latest available for the Irish Republic.

Source: "National Accounts—Detailed Tables 1970–74": Statistical Office of the European Communities, Table 7.

The definition of the items in the above document is as follows:— 11 Food.

13 Alcoholic beverages.

14 Tobacco.

31 Gross rent and water charges.

32 Fuel and power.

43 Heating and cooking appliances, refrigerators, washing machines and similar major household appliances, including fitting and repair.

61 Personal transport equipment.

62 Operation of personal transport equipment.

63 Purchased transport.

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