§ 72. Sir W. de FRECEasked the Minister of Labour whether, taking the 12 chief industries of the country, including transport, he will state the average weekly wage-rate in each case now as compared with June, 1921, June, 1920, June, 1919, and June, 1914, respectively?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Sir Montague Barlow)I regret that the information in my possession is insufficient to enable me to give particulars as to the average weekly wage-rate in the 12 principal industries. Some alterna- 1049 tive particulars are available, however, as to the comparative level of wages in a number of the principal industries at the dates referred to, and as these involve a tabular statement, I propose, with my hon. Friend's permission, to circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
| I.—RATES OF WAGES OF TYPICAL CLASSES OF TIME WORKERS IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES. | |||||
| Industry. | Rates of Wages at— | ||||
| July, 1914. | July, 1919. | June, 1920. | June, 1921. | June, 1922. | |
| Per week. | Per week. | Per week. | Per week. | Per week. | |
| Building (a) (40 large towns): | |||||
| Bricklayers | 40s. 7d. | 75s. 6d. | 97s. 8d. | 93s. 8d. | 71s. 10d. |
| Painters | 36s. 3d. | 72s. 8d. | 95s. 2d. | 93s. 8d. | 71s. 9d. |
| Labourers | 26s. 11d. | 61s. 4d. | 84s. 8d. | 80s. 7d. | 54s. 1d. |
| Engineering (a) (16 of the principal districts): | |||||
| Fitters and Turners | 38s. 11d. | 77s. 0d. | 89s. 5d. | 89s. 3d. | 72s. 9d. |
| Labourers | 22s. 10d. | 58s. 3d. | 70s. 8d. | 70s. 6d. | 55s. 8d. |
| Shipbuilding (a) (13 of the principal districts): | |||||
| Shipwrights (e) | 41s. 4d. | 78s. 10d. | 91s. 3d. | 84s. 10d. | 58s. 7d. |
| Ship Joiners (e) | 40s. 0d. | 77s. 10d. | 102s. 4d. | 94s. 7d. | 60s. 5d. |
| Labourers (e) | 22s. 10d. | 58s. 0d. | 70s. 6d. | 64s. 0d. | 40s. 1d. |
| Railway Service: | |||||
| Engine Drivers (c) | 45s. to 50s.(b) | 78s. to 83s. | 84s. to 102s. | 85s. to 103s. | 72s. to 90s. |
| Ticket Collectors | 23s. to 27s.(b) | 56s. to 60s. | 66s. 6d. to 74s. | 67s. 6d. to 75s. | 54s.6d. to 62s |
| Goods Porters | 19s. to 23s.(b) | 52s. to 56s. | 62s, to 68s. 6d | 63s. to 69s. 6d. | 50s. to 56s. 6d |
| Dock Labour (10 of the principal ports): | |||||
| Ordinary cargo workers | 4s. 6d. to 6s. 8d. per day. | 5s. 10d. to 7s. per half day. | 15s. to 17s. 6d. per day. | 15s. to 17s. 6d. per day. | 11s. to 13s. 6d per day. |
| Shipping (d) (Foreign-going vessels): | Per month. | Per month. | Per month. | Per month. | Per month. |
| Able seamen | £5 to £5 10s. | £14 10s. | £14 10s | £12 | £10 |
| Firemen | £510s, to £6 | £15 | £15 | £12 10s. | £10 10s. |
| Road Transport (a): | Per week. | Per week. | Per week. | Per week. | Per week. |
| Tram Drivers (50 of the principal districts). | 30s. 7d. | 60s. 3d. | 73s. 3d. | 73s. 3d. | 63s. 3d. |
| One-horse Carters (12 large towns). | 25s. 7d. | 56s. | 65s. | 66s. 1d. | 57s. 2d. |
| Printing (a) 27 large towns: | 35s. 8d. | 69s. 6d. | 88s. 0d. | 93s. 4d. | 86s. 2d. |
| Hand Compositors and Machine Minders on Book and Jobbing Work. | |||||
| Bookbinders and Machine Rulers. | 33s. 11d. | 69s. 4d. | 87s. 6d. | 93s. 4d. | 86s. 6d. |
| Agriculture (England and Wales): | |||||
| Ordinary Labourers | 14s. to 228.(b) | 36s. 6d. to 42s. 6d | 42s. to 146s. 6d. | 46s. to 52s. | 30s. to 36s. |
| (a) The rates quoted are the unweighted averages of the recognised rates of wages in the principal towns or districts. | |||||
| (b) Approximate figures. | |||||
| (c) Some of the drivers are paid mileage allowances in addition to the rates shown. | |||||
| (d) Food is provided in addition to the rates quoted. | |||||
| (e) The figures for the Shipbuilding industry relate to time-workers. A large proportion of the workpeople in this industry, however, are paid at piece rates, and the figures given are not applicable to piece-workers. |
§ Mr. SWANWill the hon. Gentleman place opposite that statement the comparative cost of living from the year 1914 down to last year.
§ Sir M. BARLOWI think that should be dealt with as a separate question.
§ Following is the statement promised: