HC Deb 04 December 1969 vol 792 cc325-7W
45. Mr. Kenneth Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will now publish the results of the study carried out by her Department in conjunction with the Con- federation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress into the effects of introducing equal pay in 13 selected industries.

Mrs. Castle

I hope to publish the results of the inquiry in the December issue of the "Employment and Productivity Gazette".

47. Mr. Holland

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will publish a White Paper on her proposals for legislation relating to equal pay in order to encourage full discussion of the problems involved.

Mrs. Castle

I do not think a White Paper is necessary. My proposals have been set out in a consultative document which has been sent to the C.B.I., the T.U.C. and other interested organisations. Details have been made available to the Press, and an article has been published in the October issue of the "Employment and Productivity Gazette". I am arranging for the hon. Member to be sent a copy of the consultative document.

48. Mr. Holland

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what allowance she proposes to make for the special position of firms whose labour costs will be substantially increased by the introduction of equal pay.

Mrs. Castle

The position of such firms was one of the factors I had in mind in deciding to introduce equal pay over a five-year period.

53. Mrs. Joyce Butler

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what progress is being made with job evaluation studies to enable discrimination against women in rates of pay to end by 1975.

Mrs. Castle

It is for industry to carry out job evaluation. One of my proposals for the legislation on equal pay is that it should be discriminatory to pay different remuneration on ground of sex for jobs found to be equivalent as a result of job evaluation in terms of skill, effort and responsibility.

54. Mrs. Joyce Butler

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she has now received the reactions of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress to her proposals for equal pay; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs. Castle

The comments of the C.B.I. and the T.U.C. have now been received and we are studying them.