§ Mr. Gouldasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in import prices of food, fuel and basic materials in January 1977 as a percentage of 1974, 1975 and 1976 figures, respectively; and how this compared with the increase in hourly wage rates and average weekly earnings in manufacturing industry.
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesIncreases in import prices to January 1977, hourly wage rates in manufacturing industry to January 1977 and earnings in manufacturing to December 1976 from average 1974, 1975 and 1976 values were:
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesThe indices of hourly wage rates, import and export unit values and wholesale prices are published in Tables 17.5, 14.12 and 17.10 respectively of the Monthly Digest of Statistics for January 1977, and in Tables 170, 143 and 175 of previous issues. The base of the index of hourly wage rates is 31st July 1972=100. Estimates of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry 745W are only available for calendar years, but Table 6.4 of the Monthly Digest gives monthly indices of unit wage and salary costs. The seasonal adjustments to the index of average earnings in manufacturing industries have been revised since publication in Table 17.4 of the January issue, and the revised seasonally adjusted series is as follows:
Index of average earnings all manufacturing industries (seasonally adjusted) January 1970=100 1975 1976 January … … 203.8 246.2 February … … 207.6 248.1 March … … 210.9 252.8 April … … 213.0 254.5 May … … 217.7 259.7 June … … 220.1 261.6 July … … 227.5 262.2 August … … 231.1 265.5 September … … 233.2 265.6 October … … 236.9 268.4 November … … 238.8 269.4 December … … 246.1 276.4* * Provisional.