§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the percentage contraction in the labour force of British Shipbuilders since nationalisation; and what has been the corresponding figure for the contraction in the shipbuilding labour force in each of the member countries of the European Community over the same period.
§ Mr. Michael MarshallFrom July 1977 to March 1979 British Shipbuilders' total employment on merchant and naval work in merchant yards contracted by 5 per cent., while employment on merchant shipbuilding fell by 25 per cent. Comparison with contraction in other EEC member States is difficult, because of different 203W methods of compiling statistics. However, the table below sets out the percentage contraction in other member States, based upon OECD figures for labour directly employed by merchant shipbuilding yards. Unless otherwise stated the period of contraction is from June 1977 to March 1979:
Per cent Belgium 11 Denmark 10* Federal Rep. of Germany 32* France 17 Italy 21 Netherlands 7† * From December 1977. † From December 1977 to December 1978. Includes warship builders.