§ 111. Mr. AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the forecasts for growth in the building industry in 1988(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other European nations.
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§ Mr. TrippierForecast percentage changes in construction output in real terms in 1988 over 1987 are set out in the table.
Country Percentage change 1988–87 West Germany -0.5 Belgium -1.0 Denmark -7.4 France 1.6 Great Britain 1 3.0 Italy 0.8 Netherlands -0.9 Norway -1.4 Austria 1.0 Sweden 1.4 Switzerland 0.2 1 Excludes Channel tunnel project. Forecasts for the United Kingdom are not available.
These forecasts were compiled by Euroconstruct, a biannual conference of European forecasting organisations, at its winter meeting at the beginning of December 1987. Britain is represented by NEDO and stockbrokers James Capel. The British forecasts reflect the views of NEDO's joint forecasting committee. My Department does not publish forecasts of construction output. The next Euroconstruct meeting is in July, when these forecasts will be reviewed.
In April the National Council of Building Material Producers forecast the change at 8 per cent. for Great Britain. It is expected that the forecast by NEDO's committee will be revised upwards when they meet in May-June.