Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Productivity – 6 April 1989

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Productivity on 6th April 1989.

Mr. Wood To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in British manufacturing productivity since 1979.

Mr. William Powell To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in British manufacturing productivity since 1979.

Dr. Twinn To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in British manufacturing productivity since 1979.

Mr. Stevens To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in British manufacturing productivity since 1979.

Mr. Major Output per head in United Kingdom manufacturing industry in the three months up to January 1989 was 48.8 per cent. higher than its average level in 1979, an average annual growth rate of 4.3 per cent.252W

Mr. John Marshall To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the trends in productivity in British industry.

Mr. Major Output per head in the manufacturing sector in the three months up to January 1989 was 55 per cent. higher than its average level in 1980. This is equivalent to an annual average growth rate of 5.3 per cent. significantly higher than the 1.6 per cent. growth achieved in the 1970s and 3 per cent. a year in the 1960s. Since 1980, United Kingdom manufacturing productivity growth has been higher than in any other major industrialised country.