§ 20. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the percentage increase of output in the British machine tool industry during each of the past six years, basing 1974 at 100 per cent.; and what are the comparable figures for other European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe volume of output of the British machine tool industry in 1979 was 20 per cent. below that in 1974; for France and West Germany the corresponding reductions are estimated at 20 per cent. and 7 per cent. respectively, while for Italy the volume of output in 1979 was almost the same as in 1974.
Comparable information for the other EEC Member States could only have been obtained at disproportionate expense.
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Output of Machine Tool Industry United Kingdom France West Germany Italy 1974=100 per cent. change on year earlier 1974=100 per cent. change on year earlier 1974=100 per cent. change on year earlier 1974=100 per cent. change on year earlier 1975 97.5 -2.5 93 -6.5 93 -6.6 76 -24.1 1976 81.3 -16.7 90 -3.2 88 -6.0 78 +3.5 1977 78.0 -4.0 78 -14.0 84 -3.8 84 +6.9 1978 78.9 +1.1 78 +0.8 88 +3.9 91 +8.8 1979 79.9 +1.3 80 +2.5 93 +6.0 100 +9.3 Sources: United Kingdom—Central Statistical Office Other countries—National Trade Associations (by courtesy of Machine Tool Trades Association). Note: Too much precision should not be imputed to the figures for France, West Germany and Italy in the above table since they have been converted from rounded data on other bases; the original sources were not available. Percentage changes have been calculated front unrounded figures.