HC Deb 16 December 1994 vol 251 c847W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the rate of return on United Kingdom manufacturing in 1989–90; and what were the figures for other industrial countries.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The rate of return on capital employed by manufacturing companies is published in Central Statistical Office First Release 94(205)—"Profitability of UK companies: rates of return of UK industrial and commercial companies (1962–1993)". Table 14 of OECD's national accounts volume II contains information on rates of return on capital employed in manufacturing for OECD countries. Figures are not comparable between countries because of differences in the calculation of data. For example, different assumptions are made about the life times of fixed assets. Both publications are available from the Library of the House.