§ 55. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Minister of Labour the percentage rise in average wage rates of the railway em 1002 ployees of the British Transport Commission since vesting date; and how this compares with the movement during the same period in the index of weekly wage rates.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThere are large numbers of rates for different grades of workers employed by the British Transport Commission and the rates vary also according to area. I am therefore unable to make a comparison based on average wage rates.
§ Mr. DaviesWill not the Minister agree that in a large number of cases the average increase of wages is greater than that of certain grades on the railways? Does that not tend to disprove the present argument being advanced in correspondence in The Times, and initiated by Mr. Randall, that increases in wages and prices in nationalised industries are a cause of inflation?
§ Mr. MacleodThe hon. Member is anticipating Answers to his other Questions on the Order Paper, but as there are about 150 different rates of wages in this field, if one chooses them sufficiently selectively one can prove from them anything one likes.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-DavenportHave the restrictive practices on British Railways decreased in the same proportion as the increase in wages?
§ 57. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Minister of Labour the percentage rises in average wage rates in the nationalised electricity, gas, and mining industries since the respective vesting dates; and how they compare with the movement during the same period in the index of weekly wage rates.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodFrom the dates when the electricity, gas and coal mining industries were nationalised up to the end of January, 1956, the Index of Rates of Wages showed a rise of about 48 per cent., 44 per cent., and 57 per cent, respectively. Owing to the large number of different rates of pay in these three industries I am unable to give figures showing the percentage increases in average wage rates.