2.1 Macroeconomic stability

Data for GDP growth and inflation (implied GDP deflator), exchange rate changes and nominal short-term interest rates come from the OECD Economic Outlook database, June 2002.  Volatility is measured by the standard deviation across the period.

5.1 GDP per head of population

Levels of GDP per head in the OECD (Chart 5.1.1) are published on the OECD web site.  GDP per head growth rates are derived from GDP and population data taken from OECD Economic Outlook database, December 2001.

Additional population data is taken from the OECD Labour Force Statistics 1980-2000 publication.

Estimates of regional GDP per head are produced by the Office for National Statistics.  The estimates used in this edition are residence based rather than the workplace based ones used in the previous Competitiveness Indicators publication.

5.2 GDP per worker and per hour worked

Data on labour productivity, on both a per worker and a per hour worked basis, are sourced from the ONS web site.

The source for data on the level of real GDP and employment are taken from OECD Economic Outlook database December 2001.

5.3 Employment Rates for men and women

The source for data on the percentage of the population of working age (men and women aged 15-64) in paid employment is OECD Employment Outlook, July 2002.

The source for data used to derive the average percentage of the population of working age (men and women aged 15-64) in paid employment is OECD Economic Outlook database, June 2002.

5.4 Exports of high and medium-high technology goods

Exports of technology goods are derived from the UN Comtrade database and the OECD Economic Outlook.  The following categories of goods (with Standard International Trade Classifications) have been included: Pharmaceuticals (SITC 54); Office machines and ADP equipment (SITC 75); Telecoms and sound recording apparatus and equipment (SITC 76); aircraft and associated equipment, spacecraft (including satellites) and parts (SITC 792).

 Trade in Services are taken from IMF Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2000.  The following categories of services have been included: communications; insurance; financial; computer and information; other business; royalties and licence fees. 

 5.5 Share of output in knowledge based industries

 Data are taken from OECD, Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2000.  Figures are for 1998, except for Canada (1997).  The following industries (with International Standard Industrial Codes Rev. 3) are included under the three groups:

Finance, insurance, real estate and business services (ISIC 65-74); education (ISIC 80);health and social work (ISIC 85);other community and personal services (ISIC 90-93)

Post and Telecommunications (ISIC 43)

High and medium-high tech industries; chemicals (ISIC 24); machinery and equipment (ISIC 29-33) transport excluding building ships and boats (ISIC 34-35 less 351).

 Data on financial services are taken from the BI (formerly known as British Invisibles) report Inter national Financial Markets in the UK, October 2000. 

2.9 Quality of Life

The Government’s Indicators for the Strategy for Sustainable Development in the UK are published by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).  They can found on the internet at:

 http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/indicators/headline/assessment.htm

Last updated on 20 November 2003