HC Deb 16 May 1984 vol 60 cc183-4W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, for each five-year period since 1960, including 1980 to 1984, the estimated annual average percentage increase in gross domestic product, manufacturing output, national average earnings, inflation, manufacturing productivity, manufacturing investment and unit labour costs in, respectively, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, West Germany, France, Japan and Sweden.

Mr. Peter Rees

[pursuant to his reply, 8 May 1984, c. 314]: The available information is given in the following table. The percentages show the annual compound rate of growth between the first and last year of each period. Data for 1984 are not yet available. For average earnings, the information available for the specified countries relates to wages per head for manual workers in manufacturing industries; these are not compiled on a standardised basis and the more important differences are indicated in the notes to the table. For manufacturing investment 1981 is the latest year for which estimates are available from international sources for countries other than the United Kingdom.

Annual average percentage increase
1960–65 1965–70 1970–75 1975–80
Gross domestic product at constant market prices
United Kingdom +3.2 +2.5 +2.0 +1.5
United States of America +4.7 +3.0 +2.5 +3.4
France +5.8 +5.4 +4.0 +3.3
West Germany +5.0 +4.2 +2.1 +3.5
Japan +10.0 +11.2 +4.6 +5.1
Sweden* +5.2 +4.3 +2.6 +1.3
Manufacturing output
United Kingdom +3.1 +2.8 +0.3 -1.0
United States of America +6.5 +3.5 +1.8 +2.4
West Germany +5.7 +5.3 +0.2 +3.3
France +5.3 +2.5 +2.6 +3.4
Japan +11.8 +15.8 +1.7 +6.7
Sweden +7.2 +5.1 +2.5 -0.5
Wages per head: manufacturing (manual workers)
United Kingdom† n.a. +7.7 +15.9 +14.9
United States of America‡ +2.8 +5.3 +7.5 +8.6
West Germany║ +9.0 +7.9 +9.7 +6.2

1960–65 1965–70 1970–75 1975–80
France¶ +7.5 +9.2 +14.7 +13.6
Japan● +10.1 +14.7 +18.0 +8.3
Sweden▀ n.a. n.a. +11.3 +9.9
Retail prices
United Kingdom +3.3 +4.6 +13.0 +14.4
United States of America +1.3 +4.3 +6.8 +8.9
West Germany +2.7 +2.4 +6.1 +4.0
France +3.7 +4.4 +8.8 +10.4
Japan +6.0 +5.5 +11.5 +6.5
Sweden +3.6 +4.5 +8.0 +10.5
Manufacturing productivity
United Kingdom +2.8 +3.2 +2.4 +1.1
United States of America +5.0 +2.0 +2.9 +2.6
West Germany +4.3 +3.7 +2.6 +3.9
France +4.5 +6.1 +2.2 +5.0
Japan +5.4 +12.3 +3.0 +7.7
Sweden n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
Manufacturing investment at constant prices
United Kingdom +3.7 +4.1 -3.4 -0.5
United States of America +8.3 +1.1 +3.2 +10.4
West Germany +4.5 +7.2 -7.1 +5.7
France⋆ n.a. +7.3 +0.7 +4.2
Japan n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
Sweden +4.1 +4.0 +5.3 -4.5
Wages and salaries per unit of output in manufacturing#
United Kingdom n.a. n.a. +13.2 +13.6
United States of America -0.9 +3.4 +4.8 +6.5
West Germany** n.a. +3.5 +7.4 +3.0
France†† n.a. n.a. +10.0 +8.6
Japan +4.0 +0.8 +14.0
Sweden†† n.a. n.a. +10.4 +8.6
Notes:
* Data for 1960 and 1965 not consistent with later years.
† All employees; on a weekly basis.
‡ Production workers; hourly earnings.
║ Monthly earnings.
¶ Hourly wage rates.
● Hourly earnings.
▀ Including mining; hourly earnings.
⋆ Including mining, quarrying, gas, electricity and water.
# Expressed in national currency.
** Including mining.
†† Unit labour costs ie including some non.wage costs.
n.a.Not available.

Sources: Derived from various OECD publications (for example Main Economic Indicators; Historical Statistics; National Accounts Volumes I and II); IMF International Financial Statistics Yearbook; United Kingdom Economic Trends Annual Supplement 1984 Edition and Employment Gazette April 1984.