HC Deb 20 February 1967 vol 741 cc1138-9
39. Mr. Gardner

asked the Minister of Labour what are the numbers of full-time male, full-time female and part-time female employees in retail distribution at present; and what were the respective numbers at the same time in 1966.

Mr. Fernyhough

At June, 1966, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that there were 769,000 male and 1,341,000 female employees in retail distribution.

Comprehensive information about part-time employment in this industry is not available, but on the basis of inquiries made of a sample of establishments with 11 or more workers, it is estimated that of all female employees about one in three works part-time—i.e. for less than 30 hours per week.

Mr. Gardner

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply, but, as the Selective Employment Tax is supposed to redeploy workers from retail distribution into manufacturing industry, may I ask whether he does not think that more information should be available so that the Chancellor of the Exchequer may review the matter in any consideration he is currently undertaking?

Mr. Fernyhough

It is very difficult for us to estimate how far the Selective Employment Tax has made any changes of the nature referred to by my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Gardner), but I have already indicated that the Selective Employment Tax, along with many other things, will be under review by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer within the next few weeks.

Dame Joan Vickers

Will the hon. Member consider the part-time workers, and particularly the part-time women workers, because as a result of the Selective Employment Tax thousands of them have lost their jobs?

Mr. Fernyhough

That is another question, but if the hon. Lady believes that to be the case I am quite sure that there will be some evidence of it available to my right hon. Friend, who will obviously take it into consideration when he makes the review of the kind of which I have already spoken.

Mr. Crawshaw

Is my hon. Friend aware that even among those who agree in principle with this tax there is growing concern about married women, who are being shaken out of their jobs only to the employment exchange? Will he realise that these people will never end up in manufacturing industry, and could not something be done in remitting this tax or at least reducing it?

Mr. Fernyhough

My hon. Friend will appreciate that I have enough troubles without taking on any of those of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but I will see that my right hon. Friend has his attention drawn to the remarks made on this Question by various hon. Members.