Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Thursday, 10 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 17 March 2005. It was answered by John Healey (Labour) on Thursday, 17 March 2005 on behalf of the Treasury.

Treasury

Question: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what indicators his Department uses to assess the productivity performance of the United Kingdom.

Answer: Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what indicators his Department uses to assess the productivity performance of the United Kingdom. [221803] John Healey: The Government uses two headline measures in its assessment of the UK's productivity performance: HM Treasury estimates of underlying productivity growth in the UK over the economic cycle; and ONS International Comparisons of Productivity estimates. These headline measures are supported by a set of intermediate indicators to highlight how the UK is performing relative to its major competitors on key dimensions of the drivers of productivity. Details can be found in the technical note accompanying the Treasury's PSA target on productivity; "in Productivity in the UK 5: Benchmarking UK productivity performance: A consultation on productivity indicators1" and "Benchmarking UK productivity performance: The Government's response to the consultation on productivity indicators2". 1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/EFF/68/iulytechnicalno te 300704.pdf 2 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations and legislation/ productivity indicators/consult productivity indicators index.cfm

Secondary information