HC Deb 24 October 1978 vol 955 cc821-2W
Mr. Lawson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the total United Kingdom work force is accounted for by the membership of the 10 largest trade unions; and what is the comparable figure for the United States of America, France, West Germany and Italy, respectively.

Mr. Golding

The latest available data are given in the following table. Due to differences in national definitions and coverages the figures for different countries are not fully comparable.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE 10 LARGEST TRADE UNIONS AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL LABOUR FORCE
Country Percentages Year to which the figures relate
United Kingdom*† 28.3 1976
United States of Americaठ10.8 1974
West Germany‡ 24.4 1975
Italy‡ 17.9 1977
* December 1976, total labour force provisional estimate.
† Union membership excludes those of overseas branches.
‡ Annual average.
§ Union membership includes some persons working outside the United States of America, mostly in Canada.

Mr. Lawson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his best about any new schemes which have been funded since December 1977, indicating in addition the total length of the funding period.

Mr. Golding

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that of the 21 co-operative workshops listed in theOfficial Report [Volume 941, col. 186] on 13th December 1977, five are still being funded by the Manpower Services Commission. The remaining 16 are no longer being funded, but I understand that five are still operating.

Since December 1977 the following additional co-operative workshops have been funded:

estimate of the current proportion of (a) male and (b) female employees in employment who are members of a trade union.

Mr. Harold Walker

It is not possible to give an answer in the precise form asked for as the data on membership of trade unions do not distinguish between members in employment and unemployment. It is however estimated that at the end of 1976, the period to which the latest figures relate, about 61 per cent. of the male labour force and about 37 per cent of the female labour force were members of a trade union.