§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the information upon which he has calculated that unit labour costs have increased only 2½ per cent. over the past year; and if he will publish in the Official Report the corresponding figures for the increase in wholesale prices and in export prices together with the reasons for any differences.
§ Mr. BrittanThe figure of 2½ per cent. corresponds to the increase over the year to the fourth quarter of 1981 in the revised series for "wages and salaries per unit of output in manufacturing", which has been developed by the CSO and Department of Employment. Details of the technical improvements to the series are to be published in the March edition ofEmployment Gazette. Over the same period, wholesale output prices increased by 11 per cent. while the unit value index for exports of manufactures increased by 9 per cent. Movements in these indices reflect changes in material costs and margins as well as wages and are affected by the different product mixes and market conditions at home and abroad.