§ 35. Major Beamishasked the Minister of Labour if he will publish a table showing the average weekly earnings of adult male workers in manufacturing industries during the last week of April, 1952, and the same week in subsequent years ; and how this figure has increased as a percentage, counting the first year as 100, in comparison with the percentage rise in the cost of living since the same time.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodYes, Sir. I will, if I may, include the table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the table :The following table shows the average weekly earnings of adult male wage-earners in the manufacturing industries in the last pay week in April in each year from 1952 to 1956, together with the percentage increase in each year compared with April, 1952, and the percentage increase shown by the Retail Prices Index over the same periods.
| — | Average Weekly Earnings | Percentage increase in earnings since April, 1952 | Percentage increase in Retail Prices Index over the same periods | |
| s. | d. | |||
| April, 1952 | 179 | 4 | — | — |
| April, 1953 | 191 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
| April, 1954 | 205 | 2 | 14 | 5 |
| April, 1955 | 224 | 7 | 25 | 8 |
| April, 1956 | 242 | 2 | 35 | 16 |