§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will use his powers under the Equal Pay Act to fix women's rates of pay before the end of 1973 at some high interim level towards full correspondence with the relevant men's rates, at least in cases like those of British Rail female crossing keepers, some of whom receive £12.15 for a 132-hour week.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkThe Government announced their decision not to introduce an order under Section 9(2) of the Equal Pay Act in the January White Paper on Counter-Inflation Policy (Cmnd. 5205). I understand that negotiations are in progress between British Rail and the unions about reducing differentials between men and women performing crossing keeper duties by one-third in 1973.