HC Deb 11 December 1979 vol 975 cc547-8W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he

EARNINGS* IN MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AS A PERCENTAGE OF EARNINGS IN:
Per cent.
Manufacturing industries All industries†
October 1948 … … … … … … … 121 126
October 1958 … … … … … … … 128 133
October 1968 … … … … … … … 119 124
October 1978 … … … … … … … 106 109
*Average gross hourly earnings of full-time male manual workers (aged 21 and over) including those whose pay was affected by absence.
†The industries covered are the index of production industries (except coalmining); transport and communication (except railways and London Transport); public administration and certain miscellaneous services.

The available figures for all the countries listed on the nearest comparable basis are as follows:

EARNINGS* IN MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURE AS A PERCENTAGE OF EARNINGS IN:
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
Percentages
France Germany (Federal Republic) Italy Japan(b) United Kingdom
October 1968 … … 107 112 128 (85) ..
1977 or 1978 … … 113 115(d) 102(e) .. ..
(105)(c) (111)(d) (101)(e) (104)(f) (107)(d)
ALL INDUSTRIES(a)
Percentages
France Germany (Federal Republic) Italy Japan(b) United Kingdom
October 1968 … … 109 112 128 .. ..
1977 or 1978 … … 115(c) 116(d) 102(e) .. ..
(108)(c) (111)(d) (101)(e) .. (108)(d)
Sources:
Statistical Office of the European Communities (SOEC).
Japan—Yearbook of Labour Statistics.
Notes:
*Average gross hourly earnings unless otherwise stated.
Excluding manufacture of parts and accessories except where figures are shown in brackets.
(a) Manufacturing, mining, quarrying and construction industries.
(b) Average for the year based on data on monthly earnings.
(c) April 1977.
(d) October 1978.
(e) October 1977.
(f) 1977.
.. Not available

will circulate in the Official Report a table comparing average earnings in the motor vehicle industry in 1948, 1958, 1968 and 1978 with average earnings in (a) manufacturing and (b) the whole economy, together with the nearest comparable information available on earnings in the motor vehicle industries of Japan, Germany. France and Italy.

Mr. Jim Lester

Because of differences in the definitions, coverage and statistical methods used in the various countries, comparisons of this kind should be regarded with caution. The available figures for the United Kingdom are as follows: