§ 12. Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Labour the average level of all wages, industrial wages and wages paid to workers in the heavy industries, respectively, as on 31st March, 1951; 31st March, 1952, and on 31st December, 1952.
§ Sir W. MoncktonInformation from which to calculate the average level of all wages is not available. My Department conducts inquiries in April and October each year into the earnings of wage earners in manufacturing industries generally and in a number of the principal non-manufacturing industries. Statistics resulting from such inquiries made in April, 1951, April, 1952, and October, 1952, which include figures of average weekly earnings in each of the industries covered, are published in the issues of the Ministry of Labour Gazette for September, 1951, September, 1952, and March, 1953, respectively.
§ Mr. GowerWill the Minister agree that the figures which are not available at present might be of great benefit to us in this House and also to industry in general in our assessment of the economic position of the country and of the wages of the country? Would he say whether the information available gives cause for hope to those of us who wish every person in industry to have a reasonable standard of life?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI ought to add, in reply to that supplementary question, that material is also available about other 549 industries not covered by the inquiries mentioned in my answer—agriculture, coal mining, dock labour and the railway service, etc. I would gladly tell the hon. Member where it can be found but I did not think I should go to the expense of having it all specially printed. I will certainly give him the information.