HC Deb 05 March 1979 vol 963 cc439-41W
Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, for all member countries of the European Economic Community, the United States of America, Canada and Japan, for the period from the first Quarter of 1974 to

Increase in gross earnings and consumer prices between the 1st quarter 1974 and the 3rd quarter 1978 Increase in disposable income and consumer prices between 1974–75 and 1977–78 financial years (k)
Gross hourly earnings per head in manufacturing Consumer price index Average annual disposable income of male production workers (j) Consumer price index
Percentages
United Kingdom … 112(a)(g) 96 53(l) (76)(n) 64(l) (78)(n)
Belgium … 72(d) 47 42 32
Denmark … 78(e) 50 49 31
France … 90(b) 57 42 34
Germany (FR) … 40 21 25 15
Irish Republic … (106)(h) (82)(h) 65 62
Italy … 149(b) 99 84 63
Luxembourg … (42)(i) (32)(i) 38 30
Netherlands … 50(b) 39 23 28
United States … 45(f) 40 30(m) 21(m)
Canada … 68(g) 49 42(l) 28(l)
Japan … 69(c)(g) 47 32(l) 29(l)
Notes:
(a) Weekly earnings (all employees).
(b) Hourly wage rates.
(c) Monthly earnings.
(d) Including mining and transport.
(e) Including mining.
(f) Production workers only.
(g) Seasonally adjusted.
(h) Increase from the 1st quarter 1974 to the 1st quarter 1978.
(i) Increase from the 2nd quarter 1974 to the 4th quarter 1977.
(j) Disposable income varies with personal circumstances; these figures relate to average gross earnings for a male production worker, and assuming he is married with a wife not working and 2 children aged 5–12, and allowing for income tax deductions, social security contributions and cash benefits received.
(k) Tax years are the calendar years 1974 and 1977 unless otherwise stated.
(l) Tax year April-March.
(m) Tax year July-June.
(n) Later information, available for the United Kingdom, indicates estimated changes for the period 1974–75 to 1978–79 as shown in parenthesis.
Sources:
OECD—
The tax-benefit position of selected income groups in OECD Member Countries 1972–76.
Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries 1965–76 (1978 edition).
Main Economic Indicators.

third quarter 1978 or latest available quarter (a) the increase in manufacturing earnings, in money terms, (b) the increase in manufacturing earnings deflated for increases in consumer prices, and (c) the increase in real take-home pay of the average industrial worker.

Mr, Golding

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 13 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 472], gave the following answer:

The available information is given in the following table. Caution is necessary in making comparisons owing to differences in definitions and methods of compilation used in the various countries. Some of these differences are indicated in the footnotes.