§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish such figures as he has, comparing in local currencies and in pound sterling equivalent (a) gross domestic product per person, (b) average income tax paid per person and (c) average value added tax paid per person in each of the United Kingdom, Germany and France, during the latest year for which the figures are available.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe information is given in the following table. Exchange rates do not necessarily provide a satisfactory basis for converting other national currencies to pound sterling in the context of GDP and a more realistic assessment of relative levels of GDP in terms of their domestic purchasing power can be made through the use of purchasing power parities. Estimates on both bases are given in the table although on this occasion there is relatively little difference between the two sets of figures.
66Wand concludes that
the data as they stand cannot be used to compare the quality or efficiency of services in different countries nor the total resources devoted to them.
Estimates per head of total population in 1981 Gross domestic product* Taxes on personal income† Value added tax† In local currencies United Kingdom (£) 4,449 478 205 German Federal Republic (DM) 25,030 2,713 1,585 France (Fr) 57,344 3,270 5,132 In £ sterling (a) Based on exchange rates German Federal Republic 5,494 595 348 France 5,244 299 469 (b) Based on purchasing power parities German Federal Republic 5,532 600 350 France 5,330 304 477 * At market prices. † On a receipts basis. The United Kingdom figures are affected by the Civil Service dispute in 1981. Sources: United Kingdom — latest estimates adjusted to international definitions.
France and German Federal Republic — GDP from OECD National Accounts 1952–1981. Tax data from Revenue Statistics of OECD Member counties 1965–1982.