To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will set out in (a) domestic currency and (b) pounds sterling at purchasing power parity exchange rates, the statutory national minimum wage, on the minimum wage established through bargaining in key industries, in (i) each EU state, (ii) the USA and (iii) Japan. [14752]

[holding answer 18 November 1997]: My department does not systematically collect information on all countries. What information is available is set out in the table.

National minimum wages in selected countries for 1997
	Local currency	Local currency rate	period	PPP£ equivalent
Belgium	Belg. franc	44,185	month	796.74
France	Fre. franc	39.43	hour	4.07
Greece	drachma	5,746–6,321	day	17.55–19.30
Luxembourg	Lux. franc	46,275–55,530	month	786.33–943.59
Netherlands	guilder	2,243	month	734.66
Portugal	escudo	56,700	month	310.02
Spain	peseta	2,221	day	11.86
USA	dollar	5.15	hour	3.49
Japan	yen	4,521–5,252	day	17.72–20.58

The definition of the minimum wage varies across countries. Also, exemptions may apply for some workers and different rates may apply for youth workers.Local Currency rates for 1997 as known at 28 July 1997.Source for purchasing power parities (PPP), OECD, Main Economic Indicators, 10/97. PPP rates are for 1996.