§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the increase in earnings or wage rates in the iron and steel industries of the United Kingdom's principal competitors since the fourth quarter of 1976; and how this compares with the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThe latest available information is given in the following table. Similar data are not available for 291W other major competitors. The comparisons shown are not meaningful without reference as appropriate to corresponding movements in exchange rates, productivity or general price or wage inflation in each country.
Average gross hourly earnings of manual workers in the iron and steel industry (1): Percentage increase from October 1976 to October 1978.
Belgium 13 France 22 Germany (FR) 11 Italy 34 Japan (2) 10 United Kingdom 23 Sources—Eurostat: social aspcts in the iron and steel industry, rapid information sheet 1—1979; monthly statistics of Japan.
Notes (1) Iron and steel industry as defined under the ECSC treaty except for Japan where figures are based on national definitions.
(2) Monthly earnings, including salaried employee: increase from fourth quarter 1976 to fourth quarter 1978.
January 1980 Notified unfilled vacancies September 1979 At employment offices At careers offices September 1979 Employees in(thousands) employment South-East 85,439 11,568 8,068* East Anglia 6,263 584 South-West 11,942 866 1,576 West Midlands 11,849 1,200 2,203 East Midlands 11,208 1,154 1,530 Yorkshire and Humberside 11,033 967 2,004 North-West 14,621 1,324 2,646 North 7,984 306 1,277 Wales 7,323 391 1,016 * Only a combined figure is available for South-East and East Anglia.