asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the level

AVERAGE GROSS HOURLY WAGES (MANUAL WORKERS) IN THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY* AND PERCENTAGE INCREASES ON A YEAR EARLIER—(NATIONAL CURRENCY)—OCTOBER
		Germany (Federal Republic)		France		Italy		United Kingdom
October		DM	Percentage increase on a year earlier	F.Fr.	Percentage increase on a year earlier	Lire	Percentage increase on a year earlier	£	Percentage increase on a year earlier
1973	…	8·83	9	9·72	16	1,335	22	0·98	..
1974	…	10·12	15	12·58	29	1,586	19	1·17	19
1975	…	10·66	5	14·55	16	1,933	22	1·56	33
1976	…	11·54	8	16·62	14	2,371	23	1·76	13
1977	…	12·20	6	18·32	10	2,811	19	1·89	7
1978	…	12·76	5	20·34	11	3,169	13	2·16	14

CONSUMER PRICES—PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN OCTOBER ON A YEAR EARLIER
						Per cent.
October			Germany (Federal Republic)	France	Italy	United Kingdom
1973	…	…	7	8	11	10
1974	…	…	7	15	24	17
1975	…	…	6	10	12	26
1976	…	…	4	10	20	15
1977	…	…	4	10	16	14
1978	…	…	2	9	12	8
Sources:
Eurostat—Social Aspects in the Iron and Steel Industry, Rapid Information Sheet 1—1979.
Eurostat—Quarterly Iron and Steel Statistical Bulletin 1—1977.
OECD—Main Economic Indicators.
Notes:
.. Not available on the same basis.
* Iron and steel industry as defined under the ECSC treaty.

Because of differences in national definitions and methods of compilation, the figures shown are not fully comparable. Moreover, caution is required in interpreting earnings comparisons of this type because they do not take account of differences in taxation and social benefits, and differences in the internal purchasing power of currencies in each country.Similar information for the United States of America and Japan is not available.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 February 1980, c. 754–5]; The latest available information is given in the following tables.