HC Deb 11 March 1968 vol 760 cc972-3
50. Mr. Biffen

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the estimated increase in wage and salary earnings, respectively, over the past 12 months; and what are the expected changes during 1968.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministery of Labour (Mr. Roy Hattersley)

I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table of figures for the past 12 months to the nearest available date. Estimates of future trends in earnings are not published.

Mr. Biffen

Estimates of future trends of earnings may not be published, but surely the hon. Gentleman has some idea of the expected increase in earnings? If he has no idea of the expected increase, how can an intelligent discussion proceed upon what kind of statutory requirements there are for a prices and incomes policy?

Mr. Hattersley

With or without statutory requirements, the Government necessarily need to know, roughly and crudely, the anticipated increases in earnings. My answer to the question is that it is not the practice of this Government, and has not been the practice of previous Governments, to make estimates known, and I do not intend to change that practice this afternoon.

Following is the table:

bodies and organisations interested in the introduction of equal pay for women; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hattersley

The main conclusions reached in my discussions with the C.B.I. and the T.U.C. were outlined in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Halifax (Dr. Summerskill) on 18th December, 1967. Officials of these organisations and my Department have met to plan the further joint studies it has been agreed should be undertaken. These will be completed as quickly as possible.—[Vol. 756, c. 893–4.]

Mr. Milne

Is my hon. Friend aware that a speeding up of the discussions on this subject is long overdue; and that if a wages policy is to be successful it must have as its cornerstone equal pay for women?

Mr. Hattersley

Committed as they are to the principle, the Government are naturally anxious that these discussions should be concluded as speedily as possible, but there are matters of great technical complexity, and it is important that these decisions should be taken on the right basis of information.

Dame Irene Ward

Can the Parliamentary Secretary let us know whether, before this very important and acceptable pledge was given prior to the General Election, no agreement between the main bodies concerned had then been obtained? Is not this partly the cause of this unfortunate and intolerable delay?

Mr. Hattersley

The pledge given before the General Election was given by the party which now forms the Government, and it is still the policy of that Government. The details we are discussing, and the details we could not discuss until we came to power, are details which our predecessors made no attempt to discuss with the C.B.I. and the T.U.C.