§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the manufacturing output change between the first quarter of 1974 and the second quarter of 1979(a) in total and (b) as annual growth. [7030]
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 19 December 1995]: Manufacturing output rose by 2.9 per cent. between the first quarter of 1974 and the second quarter of 1979, an annual growth rate of 0.5 per cent. However, manufacturing output in these periods was affected by the miners' strike and the winter of discontent. Between the first half of 1974 and the first half of 1979, manufacturing output fell by 2.5 per cent. an annual rate of fall of 0.5 per cent.