HC Deb 21 July 1994 vol 247 cc524-6W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 15 June,Official Report, column 603, what was the average annual increase in output per head in manufacturing in the United Kingdom, the USA, Germany and Japan from 1990 to the latest available date; and what effect the relative changes have had on competitiveness.

Mr. Heseltine

Between 1990 and 1993 the estimated annual growth in manufacturing output per head was 3.2 per cent. in the United Kingdom, 3.7 per cent. in the United States of America, -2.6 per cent. in Germany and -3.8 per cent. in Japan. Improvements in productivity are key to increased competitiveness.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 15 June,Official Report, column 603, if he will publish the average annual increase in output per person in 1980–89 and 1964–73 for the United Kingdom and the United States of America, Germany and Japan together with the percentage change in each country's share and the value of volume of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries, the percentage change between 1980 and 1989 in each country's share of the import market for manufactures in the national markets for which he has held or holds such records.

Mr. Heseltine

The information on output per person and shares of import markets for manufactures is given in the tables.

Information on percentage changes in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and Japan's shares by value of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries can be readily derived from information available on the Central Statistical Office database, which can be accessed via the Library of the House. Corresponding information for the shares by volume is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Percentage changes in United Kingdom, USA, German, Japanese shares by value of import markets of manufactures1
Percentage change in share 1980–89
United Kingdom USA Germany Japan
Import market
Belgium-Luxembourg -6.4 -35.6 -10.5 1.0
Canada -28.3 -12.4 17.7 53.1
France 12.1 -14.9 -5.5 50.4
Germany (Fed. Rep.) 7.2 -2.0 58.3
Italy -11.6 -28.2 1.8 34.9
Japan -27.1 -20.3 9.8
Netherlands -10.6 -5.4 -9.6 24.0
Sweden -24.2 -1.0 -4.1 69.0
Switzerland -42.6 -10.2 10.1 25.4
United Kingdom -12.0 26.6 44.2
United States -22.7 -27.8 3.3
1 Manufactures are defined as Standard International Trade Classification Sections 5 to 8.

Source: OECD Series C.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing(a) the change in import penetration by manufacturing industry between 1980 and the year ending June 1989 together with the corresponding change in United Kingdom output per person, (b) the percentage change between 1980 and 1989 in the United Kingdom share of the value and volume of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries, (c) the percentage change between 1980 and 1989 in the United Kingdom share of the import market for manufactures in the EEC and in the national markets for which he holds records and (d) the relative volume of exports to imports of manufactures in 1980 and 1989 and the corresponding surplus or deficit on trade in manufactures.

Mr. Needham

The information on changes in import penetration can be readily derived from information regularly published in table 12.2 of the Central Statistical Office's "Annual Abstract of Statistics", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The corresponding information on United Kingdom output per person, the changes in United Kingdom shares by value and volume of exports of manufactures by the main manufacturing countries, and the changes in the surplus/deficit in trade in manufactures in 1980 and 1989, can be readily derived from information available on the Central Statistical Office database, which can be accessed via the Library of the House.

The changes 1980–1989 in the United Kingdom's share of the import market for manufactures in the EC, and the United Kingdom's relative volume of exports to imports of manufactures for 1980 and 1989 are given in the table.

Percentage change 1980–1989 in United Kingdom share by value of EC countries imports of manufactures1
Import market Percentage change
EC12 -6.6
Belgium-Luxembourg -6.4
Denmark -17.9
Growth in manufacturing output per head
Percentage pa
United Kingdom USA Germany Japan
1964–73 3.9 3.4 3.9 9.8
1980–89 4.9 3.9 2.3 3.4

Source: OECD, CSO

Import market Percentage change
France 12.1
Germany (Fed. Rep.) 7.2
Greece -3.9
Ireland -26.8
Italy -11.6
Netherlands -10.6
Portugal -37.5
Spain 0.6

Source: OECD Series C

United Kingdom relative volume2 of manufactures1
1980 127.2
1989 86.4
Source: CSO Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics Annual Supplement 1992 Tables A10 and All.
1 Manufactures are defined as Standard International Trade Classification Section 5 to 8.
2 Export volume of manufactures index as a percentage of the import volume of manufactures index.