§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table giving the annual average rate of change in average earnings for the periods 1945 to 1951, 1952 to 1964, 1965 to 1970, 1971 to 1974 and 1975 to 1977; and, from information available from international sources, if he will give the comparable figures for each of the other member countries of the EEC, the United States of America, Canada and Japan.
§ Mr. GoldingComparable international earnings statistics over the period requested are available primarily for manual workers in the manufacturing industries on an annual basis. Average percentage changes are given below, calculated between corresponding points in the earlier and later years. Data for 1977 are not yet available.
In making comparisons, account must be taken of differences in coverage and in methods of compilation by the various national statistical offices, the more important of which are referred to in the notes.