asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing contributions made by employers for all pensions and other social security benefits, per employee, on a weekly basis, expressed in £ sterling in each of the following countries, at the latest convenient date, United Kingdom, USA, Japan, France and West Germany.

In each of the countries mentioned the employer's social security contribution, including that for pensions, is calculated as a percentage of the total payroll or as a percentage of each employee's earnings up to a given ceiling. The relevant information is given in the table below, which shows the current position except where otherwise indicated. Exchange rates for the appropriate dates have been used in calculating the sterling equivalents of earnings ceilings.