§ 69. Mr. Aylesasked the Minister at Labour the number of men, women and apprentices, employed in the engineering industry in 1938 and at the present time; the percentage difference in the wages paid in 1938 and at the present time, taking 1938 as 100; and the percentage increase in the cost of living during the same period.
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Isaacs)As the reply contains a tabular statement, I will with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ It is estimated that the number of insured persons in employment in the engineering, motor vehicle and aircraft industries at mid-1938 and the corresponding number, together with one-half the number of women in part-time employment, at May, 1946, were as follow:
| Males(14and under65) | Females(14and under60) | |
| Mid–1938 | 1,138,700 | 123,000 |
| May, 1946 | 1,364,300 | 352,900 |
§ Particulars are not available as to the number of apprentices included in these figures. The percentage increases in average weekly earnings in the same industries between October, 1938, and January, 1946, the latest date for which the information is available, were:
| Men(21 years and over) | … | 57 |
| Youth and boys under 21 | … | 61 |
| Women (18 years and over) | … | 94 |
| Girls under 18 | … | 75 |
§ The increase in the cost of living, as shown by the official index figure between 1st October, 1938. and 1st January, 1946, was 31 per cent.