§ 6. Ms CorstonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest available figure for the average weekly earnings of agricultural workers in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe figure is £217.18 per week.
§ Ms CorstonEven though farm workers earn only 70 per cent. of the average industrial wage, does the Minister agree that the poverty of farm workers will be made worse if the agricultural wages board is not committed to set a whole range of statutory rights, including minimum rates of pay, overtime rates, sick pay schemes, holiday schemes and maximum rents for agricultural tied cottages? Will the right hon. Lady undertake to retain the wages board in its present form?
§ Mrs. ShephardThe hon. Lady will know that the agricultural wages board is subject to a review every five years, and that this time we are taking the opportunity to review the workings of the board. She will also know that we have had a large response to consultations, with some 4,000 responses in all. The vast majority of those were in favour of the retention of the board. The complications that the hon. Lady outlines are among the issues that my right hon. Friends and I will be taking into account, and I hope to make an announcement soon.
§ Sir Jerry WigginIn spite of her answer, does my right hon. Friend recognise that the good arguments that have been used for the abolition of all the other statutory wages boards apply equally to the agricultural wages board? Does she agree that, given a free market, it is more than likely that the average level of wages would rise? She should not be subsumed by the siren voices of those who would like their negotiations to be carried out for them.
§ Mrs. ShephardMy hon. Friend is quite right that the Government in general believe that all barriers to employment should be removed, and that statutory wage controls distort wage and employment levels and destroy jobs. However, he would be the first to recognise the quite overwhelming support among employers and employees in the agriculture industry for the retention of the board. It is interesting to note that the Tenant Farmers Association 409 supports the abolition, and so do some individual National Farmers Union commodity committees, in particular the potato committee.
§ Dr. StrangIs the Minister aware that, even with yesterday's increase, which comes into operation in June, the average hourly pay of farm workers—excluding overtime, but including bonuses—will still be less than three quarters of the industrial average? Will she take on board the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, East (Ms Corston) that it will not be sufficient to retain the boards, but that it is crucial that she retains all the legislation that provides minimum rates of pay at every level and a statutory right to holidays and to holiday and sick pay?
§ Mrs. ShephardI am sure that the hon. Gentleman is aware that the wages announced yesterday were set by the board, with representation from both sides of the industry. I am sure that he is also aware that the wages of agricultural workers fall below the average wage; but so do those of other groups—people in a number of manufacturing sectors, distribution, repairs, hotels and catering, construction, transport and communication.