HC Deb 05 March 1924 vol 170 cc1373-4
37. Mr. LUMLEY

asked the Minister of Labour if wage advances exceeded wage reductions in the month of January; and, if so, by how much?

Mr. SHAW

The changes in rates of wages in January, so far as reported to the Ministry of Labour, resulted in an aggregate advance of about £88,000 in the weekly full-time wages of nearly 1,000,000 workpeople, and in an aggregate reduction of about £25,000 in the weekly full-time wages of nearly 500,000 workpeople, the net advance being thus about £63,000 a week. Details are given in the February issue of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

Mr. TURNER

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how much the increase in cost of living was, to balance the £68,000 advance in wages?

Mr. SHAW

That does not arise out of the original question.

Mr. E. BROWN

Are any rural workers included in that statement?

Mr. SHAW

The statement is given on the information supplied as a result of the question being asked. If my hon. Friend will put on the Paper a separate question, I will try to give him an answer.