§ Captain BAGLEYasked the Minister for Labour if he will state, as far as he is able, the average or prevailing wages or income in 1913–14 and at the present time of persons employed in the following industries, trades, and callings, giving specific branches where he is unable to state the average for the whole: coal, transport, docks, boot and shoe, cotton, woollen, hosiery and underwear, clothing, food production, distributive, clerical, and teaching?
§ Sir R. HORNEThere are no statistics available as to the average wages or income in 1913–14 or at the present time for these industries as a whole. Such information as is available, however, as to the wages of the principal classes of workpeople in the coal-mining, transport, dock labour, boot and shoe, and food production industries is given below:
2437W
Industry. Occupation. Rate of Wages at Remarks. July,1914. July, 1919 per shift. per shift. Coal-mining Hewers 8s. 5d * 18s. Estimated average earnings for the United Kingdom. per week per week Transport railway service Engine drivers 35s to 50s. 68s. to 83s Estimated average rates of wages for the United Kingdom. Guards 25s. to 35s. 58a. to 68s. Signalmen 25s. to 30s. 58s. to 63s. Porters 20s. to 26s. 53s. to 59s. Carting One-horse drivers 24s. to 27s. per hour. 54s. to 57s.per half-day. Prevailing rates in twelve large towns. Dock labour Dock labourers 6d. to 8d. 5s. l0d. to 7s. Prevailing rates at eight principal ports in United Kingdom. Boot and shoe manufacture Clickers, lasters and finishers per week. 30s per week.56s. Minimum rates at Leicester, Northampton and Kettering. No estimate of piecework earnings is available. Food production Bakers (table hands) 28s. t0 38s. 60s. to70s. Prevailing rates at twelve large industrial towns in United Kingdom. *The figure quoted relates to November, 1913.
In the case of the cotten, woollen and hosiery industries, in which the majority of those employed are piece-workers, no similar details can be given, but the following table gives particulars of the amounts of the increases in wages since July, 1914: Industry. Amount of Increase since July, 1914. Remarks. Cotton spinning and weaving (Lancashire and adjoining counties) 110 per cent. on list prices* In addition an increase of 30 per cent. on list prices has been given to compensate for the reduction in hours of labour. Woollen spinning and weaving † (Yorkshire) — Time workers 107 per cent. on pre-War rates In addition piece rates have been enhanced by approximately 15 per cent. of current rates to compensate for the reduction in hours of labour. Piece workers (males) 85¾per cent. on pre-War rates Piece workers (females) 91 per cent. on pre-War rates Hosiery manufacture (Leicestershire district) 6¾d. in the Is. on earnings In addition piece rates have been increased by 7½per cent. on current rates to compensate for the reduction in hours of labour. * At July, 1914, wages were 5 per cent. above list prices. † The increases specified do not cover blanket raisers or millers, scourers, etc., in certain districts for whom special advances have been arranged. I am unable to give statistics relating to the wages and salaries of persons engaged in the distributive trades, clerks or teachers.