HC Deb 23 April 1980 vol 983 cc132-3W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the share of (a) wages and (b) wages and salaries as a percentage of national income in the principal industrial countries in 1958, 1968 and in the latest available year.

COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES AS A PERCENTAGE OF NATIONAL INCOME*
Per cent.
United Kingdom France Germany (FR) Italy Japan USA
1958 72 59 60 50 52 71
1968 74 62 64 57 53 74
1977 80 71 72 71 68 77
Notes
* Compensation of employees refers to wages and salaries and employers' contributions to pensions and social security schemes. National income is at factor cost ie excluding indirect taxes and including subsidies.
† 1958 United Kingdom figures does not strictly correspond to OECD definitions.

Source:

OECD— 'National Accounts of OECD Countries' (1952–1977 Vol I and 1960–1977 Vol II).

These figures should be compared with caution owing to differences between countries in definitions and coverage of the statistics. The comparisons are also affected by differences in the composition of outputs, in terms of factors of production, and differences in income from self-employment in the various countries.