§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs as the Government's 3½, per cent. ceiling is not 168W intended to apply to earnings which are due to increases in overtime worked, what steps he proposes to take to prevent incomes and costs rising through the deliberate creation of overtime working.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeThe exclusion of increases in overtime earnings from the 3½ per cent. ceiling applies only in respect of "necessary" increases in overtime worked. All those concerned are expected to apply the policy outlined in the White Paper (Cmnd. 3590) and it is not supposed that employers will wish to pay their employees more for hours which are wasted or which are not worked at all.