HC Deb 22 January 1970 vol 794 cc684-5
29. Mr. John Lee

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity by what percentage the highest recorded salary paid in the United Kingdom exceeds the lowest full employment wage so recorded; what were the corresponding percentages for 1938, 1945, 1951 and 1964; and if she will make a statement on equalisation of incomes.

Mr. Harold Walker

Information in the particular form requested is not available but extensive statistics about the range of wages and salaries in September, 1968 were published in the May, 1969 issue of the Employment and Productivity Gazette. These were obtained from the new earnings survey. Earlier surveys of this type covered wages only but not salaries. The Government's policy in relation to low pay is set out in Section E of the White Paper on Productivity, Prices and Incomes after the end of 1969.

Mr. Lee

Why is this information not available? Is it not part of the justification which the Government give for the prices and incomes policy that it is supposed to provide justice for the lower-paid worker? How can this be achieved if we do not have a clear idea of the task which we have to perform to telescope the differences in income, bearing in mind the great inequality which still exists?

Mr. Walker

It is true that we desire more information to enable us the more effectively to apply a prices and incomes policy, but I remember that we were asked many critical questions in the House when we introduced the limited earnings survey which has produced the information to which I have referred.

Mr. Kenneth Lewis

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the greatest disparity over the widest field is between the lowest-paid workers, many of whom work in the countryside, and the escalating pay being given to the already highly-paid workers in industry, particularly in the motor car industry?

Mr. Walker

I am sorry, but I cannot agree with the hon. Gentleman. Some of the rather high settlements which have recently been given Government approval have been made by correcting the imbalance between the lower-paid and some higher-paid workers. In fact, this is the current emphasis of Government policy.