§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report showing what information he has on the percentage change in the number of full-time equivalent workers in the textile industry, in each EEC member country since 1979.
§ Mr. LeeInsufficient detail is available in the employment estimates for Community members to permit comparisons on a full-time equivalent basis. The available information relates to all employees and is as follows:
Employees in the textile industries Percentage change between 1979 and 1986 Per cent. Belgium -13.5 Italy 1-14.9 France -23.7 Germany -23.8 Spain -30.0 Netherlands -36.4 United Kingdom -38.3 Ireland -42.7 1 Change up to 1985. Source: Employment and Unemployment 1988 (Eurostat).
These percentages are based on statistics which have been harmonised to allow for methodological differences between countries, but, like all international comparisons of labour market statistics, they should be treated with caution as it is difficult to obtain data for different countries on a wholly consistent basis.