§ 46. Sir E. Brownasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that information regarding salaries is not available on as comprehensive a scale as that on wages; if he will rectify this; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsTo the first part of the Question, yes, Sir. This is because the wage rates of the great majority of manual workers are 133W determined by collective agreements or statutory wages orders. For salaried workers, however, there are often no recognised scales, particularly for the private sector and many salaries are negotiated on an individual basis.
§ 47. Sir E. Brownasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that salaries account for approximately one-third of total wage and salary payments; and whether he will propose that individual salary payments and fringe benefits should be notified to him in a manner similar to that in which he is notified of wage claims, in view of the proposed prices and incomes legislation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsThe voluntary "early warning" system covers salaries as well as wages but for practical reasons only settlements which are significant, for instance, because of the numbers of persons affected are normally reported. An individual salary would be followed-up if it was thought necessary to do so.
So far as Prices and Incomes legislation is concerned, the hon. Member will have an opportunity to raise the matter in the near future.