§ 26. Mr. Alisonasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the average annual rate of increase of wage earnings for the four-year period October, 1964, to October, 1968.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe results of the October 1968 inquiry into the earnings of manual workers are not yet available, but between October, 1964, and April, 1968, the average rate of increase in the average weekly earnings of adult 25 male manual workers was 6.0 per cent. per year.
§ Mr. AlisonWhy is this so staggeringly out of line: with the norm, criteria, guidelines and other rubber prison bars which are meant to guide prices and incomes policy?
§ Mr. WalkerBecause the earnings figure mentioned takes account of a number of factors which are not contained within the incomes policy criteria, for example, increased earnings resulting from payments-by-results systems and overtime earnings.
§ Mr. LomasIs it possible to give the average rate of increase in the cost of living over the same period?
§ Mr. WalkerNot without notice.