§ 3. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Labour if he will state the change in average weekly earnings due to short time and unemployment in the last six months and twelve months, respectively.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI regret there is not sufficient information available to make calculations of this kind.
§ 4. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Labour if he will state the change in weekly earnings in the engineering, building, textile, and mining industries in the last six months.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI regret that the information is not yet available.
§ Mr. AllaunIs it not the fact that in certain industries, thanks to short time and unemployment, the average earnings have actually gone down—notably in cotton, coal, docks, metal manufacture and shipbuilding—in some cases up to £1 a week according to the Ministry of Labour Gazette figures for the twelve months ending last October?
§ Mr. MacleodThat may be so in selected industries. But in spite of the changes in the average weekly earnings to which the hon. Member drew attention, the average weekly earnings of all the workers rose by 1½ per cent. between April and October, 1958.