§ Mr. Boyesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will produce a table showing for each country in the European Economic Community, the state average wage and the state retirement pension.
§ Dr. BoysonInformation for national average gross hourly earnings (as at October 1982) of male and female manual workers in each country in the European Community for all industries except electricity, gas, steam and water, is given in the following table together with the average number of hours worked. The figures exclude bonuses and gratuities, the importance of which varies from country to country. Rates of exchange used in the table are those reported in London on 31 December 1982.
Average gross hourly earnings Average number of hours worked Belgium 265 BF (£3.49) 34.9 Denmark 61.10Kr (£4.51) n/a France 29.71 F (£2.73) 39.4 Federal Republic of Germany 14.96DM (£3.89) 40.0 Greece n/a — n/a Ireland 3.19 Punt (£2.75) 41.7 Italy 5,711L (£2.58) 37.5 Luxembourg 265LF (£3.49) 39.0 Netherlands 16.28FL (£3.83) 40.6 United Kingdom £2.92 — 41.4 Source: Eurostat Statistical Bulletin.
Information about state retirement pensions in each country of the European Community is contained in the Department's publication, Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the Member States of the European Communities, Portugal and Spain (position at 1 January 112W 1983), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Most countries do not have a standard rate for retirement pensions, entitlement being related to the individual's earnings and/or the period during which he was insured.