§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the changes in unit labour costs for the calendar year 1980 for the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, the United States of America and Japan.
§ Mr. MacGregorBetween the fourth quarter of 1979 and the fourth quarter of 1980 unit labour costs in manufacturing industry, calculated in national currencies, rose 23 per cent. in the United Kingdom, 11 per cent. in West Germany, 18 per cent. in France, 11 per cent. in the United States of America and 4 per cent. in Japan. A comparison of unit labour costs can also be made in a common currency, to take into account the effects of exchange rate movements on competitiveness. Expressing all countries' unit labour costs in terms of United States dollars, the index of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry rose 35 per cent. in the United Kingdom, 3 per cent. in West Germany, 10 per cent. in France, 11 per cent. in the United States and 18 per cent. in Japan. It should be noted that the figures for France are provisional.