§ 33. Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to what extent the increase in the salaries of bank employees compares with the average increase in earnings which has taken place since the Government introduced its productivity, prices and incomes policy.
§ Mrs. CastleBetween April, 1965 and November, 1968 (the latest available date) average earnings, as measured by the monthly index, rose by nearly 26 per cent. i cannot give a directly corresponding figure for average earnings of bank employees of all grades. The N.B.P.I. report should add to the available information which is at present limited to rates for recruitment grades. The increases in these rates have been in the range of 12 to 37 per cent.
§ 38. Mr. Ormeasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what instruction was given to the National Board for Prices and Incomes as to the regard which they should have to Government policy on equal pay when the reference of the Bank pay settlement was made to the Board.
§ Mrs. CastleNone. The Board is required to pay regard to the principles of the productivity, prices and incomes policy but, as I have made clear on previous occasions, there is nothing to prevent progress towards equal pay within the criteria of the prices and incomes policy.