HC Deb 02 March 2004 vol 418 cc820-1W
Mr. Spring

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what rate employment grew on average annually in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the Republic of Ireland, (c) Denmark, (d) Sweden, (e) Finland, (f) Germany, (h) the Netherlands, (i) Belgium, (k) Luxembourg, (l) France, (m) Spain, (n) Portugal, (o) Italy, (p) Austria, (q) Greece, (r) the area now forming the euro-12, (s) the EU 15 and (t) the United States since (i) 1992 and (ii) 1997; [157180]

(2) by what rate employment grew in each year since 1992 in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the Republic of Ireland, (c) Denmark, (d) Sweden, (e) Finland, (f) Germany, (h) the Netherlands, (i) Belgium, (k) Luxembourg, (l) France, (m) Spain, (n) Portugal, (o) Italy, (p) Austria, (q) Greece, (r) the area now forming the euro-12, (s) the EU 15 and (t) the United States. [157181]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Richard Spring, dated 2 March 2004: The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your two recent Parliamentary Questions about average and annual employment growth rates for Europe and the USA. I am replying in his absence. (157180, 157181) The attached table provides growth rates for the number of people of working age in employment in the requested countries. The data (where available) are provided for all years since 1993, together with average annual growth rates a) from 1992 and b) from 1997. Demographic trends affect the size and the age profile of the working-age population, and are a significant driver of change in the number of people in employment. The data in the table do not take account of these effects.

Annual and average employment growth rates for the UK and other countries, 1993–2003
Percentage
Annual employment growth rates
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
United
Kingdom -1.3 0.7 1.1 1.0 1.7 1.0 1.2
Ireland 1.3 4.3 4.4 3.9 6.3 8.1 6.3
Denmark -1.5 1.4 1.3 1.0 1.3 1.6 1.2
Sweden -0.9 1.5 -0.8 -1.3 1.5 2.1
Finland -6.0 -1.4 2.0 1.3 3.3 2.0 2.5
Germany -1.4 -0.2 0.2 -0.3 -0.2 1.1 1.2
Netherlands 0.0 0.7 1.5 2.3 3.2 2.6 2.6
Belgium -0.7 -0.4 0.0 0.3 0.9 1.8 1.3
Luxembourg 1.6 2.5 2.5 2.6 3.1 4.5 5.0
France -1.3 0.1 0.9 0.4 0.4 1.5 2.0
Spain -2.8 -0.5 1.9 1.3 2.9 3.9 3.5
Portugal -1.2 0.6 -0.1 1.4 2.5 2.6 1.2
Italy -2.5 -1.5 -0.1 0.6 0.4 1.0 1.1
Austria -0.6 -0.1 0.0 -0.6 0.5 1.0 1.4
Greece 0.8 -0.1 -0.4 -0.4 -0.5 4.1 0.0
EU–12 -1.6 -0.3 0.6 0.5 0.9 1.8 1.8
EU–15 -1.6 -0.1 0.7 0.6 1.0 1.7 1.7
USA 1.5 2.3 1.5 1.5 2.3 1.5 1.5
Annual employment growth

rates

Average annual employment growth

rates

2000 2001 2002 2003 From 1992

to date1

From 1997

to date1

United Kingdom 1.4 0.9 0.6 1.0 0.8 1.0
Ireland 4.7 2.9 1.4 4.3 4.6
Denmark 0.5 0.4 -0.6 0.7 0.6
Sweden 2.4 1.9 0.2 0.7 1.6
Finland 2.3 1.5 0.4 0.8 1.7
Germany 1.8 0.4 -0.6 0.2 0.8
Netherlands 2.2 1.8 0.9 1.8 2.0
Belgium 1.9 1.4 -0.2 0.6 1.2
Luxembourg 5.6 5.6 3.1 3.6 4.8
France 2.6 1.8 0.6 0.9 1.7
Spain 3.5 2.3 1.5 1.7 2.9
Portugal 2.0 1.4 0.2 1.0 1.5
Italy 1.9 1.9 1.4 0.4 1.5
Austria 0.8 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.7
Greece -0.1 -0.4 -0.2 0.3 0.7
EU–12 2.2 1.4 0.4 0.8 1.5
EU–15 1.9 1.2 0.3 0.8 1.4
USA 2.5 0.0 -0.3 0.9 1.4 1.0
1 UK and US growth rates are average rates until 2003. EU rates are until 2002. All rates are average growth since 1992, except Sweden which is since 1993.
Source: UK—UK Labour Force Survey, Spring Quarters, Employed aged 16 and over
EU—Eurostat New Cronos database, table: "/theme3/employ/indic_y", covering those employed aged 15 and over
US—US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey. Employed aged 16 and over