HC Deb 26 February 1970 vol 796 cc1386-7
27. Mr. Holland

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what criteria her Department intends to employ when determining its attitude to wage settlements over the next six months.

Mr. Harold Walker

Wage settlements are considered against the background of the guidance for pay negotiations given in the White Paper on "Productivity Prices and Incomes Policy after 1969".

Mr. Holland

Will the hon. Gentleman say what has been the average percentage increase in wage settlements over the past three months, for purposes of comparison?

Mr. Walker

I cannot give the precise figure offhand. Let me readily concede that it is certainly higher than the upper ceiling figure of 4½ per cent.— [Laughter]—I do not know why hon. Gentlemen think that this is funny. I do not, I think it is a matter that should cause concern to the whole House.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

Reverting to the original reply, will the Under-Secretary say if this criterion is applied to members of the legal profession, who earn thousands of pounds for just a few weeks' work in court? As an example, recently, £37,000 was earned for a few days in court.

Mr. Walker

The principles set out in the White Paper are intended to give guidance to everyone.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Would the Parliamentary Secretary care to amplify his right hon. Friend's reported remarks to the teachers that the sky is now the limit for wage demands?

Mr. Walker

The hon. Gentleman should know better by now than to believe all that he reads in the newspapers.