HC Deb 15 November 1974 vol 881 cc262-3W
Mr. Richard Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the estimates of the number of workers covered by each wages council in October 1973.

Mr. Harold Walker

The latest estimates made relate to early 1973 and are derived from numbers found to be employed in establishments visited by the Wages Inspectorate in recent years. The establishments in question do not form a representative sample for statistical purposes and the margin of error may, therefore, be substantial.

The information is as follows:

Wages Council Approximate number of workers covered
Aerated Waters (England and Wales) 20,000
Aerated Waters (Scotland) 2,500
Boot and Shoe Repairing 12,500
Button Manufacturing 4,000
Coffin Furniture and Cerement-Making 550
Corset 13,000
Cotton Waste Reclamation 1,000
Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (England and Wales) 125,000
Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (Scotland) 10,000
Flax and Hemp 4,000
Fur 8,500
General Waste Materials Reclamation> 26,000
Hairdressing Undertakings 140,000
Hat, Cap and Millinery (Great Britain) 7,000
Hollow-ware 1,500
Industrial and Staff Canteen Undertakings 218,000
Keg and Drum 5,600
Lace Finishing 1,500
Laundry 86,000
Licensed Non-residential Establishment 340,000
Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant 390,000

Wages Council Approximate number of workers covered
Linen and Cotton Handkerchief and Household Goods and Linen Piece Goods 6,500
Made-up Textiles 5,500
Milk Distributive (England and Wales) 75,000
Milk Distributive (Scotland) 22,000
Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower 750
Paper Box 35,000
Perambulator and Invalid Carriage 5,000
Pin, Hook and Eye and Snap Fastener 1,500
Ready-made and Wholesale Bespoke Tailoring 115,000
Retail Bespoke Tailoring (England and Wales) 7,000
Retail Bespoke Tailoring (Scotland) 500
Retail Bookselling and Stationery Trades 25,000
Retail Bread and Flour Confectionery Trade (England and Wales) 64,000
Retail Bread and Flour Confectionery Trade (Scotland) 10,000
Retail Drapery, Outfitting and Footwear Trades 440,000
Retail Food Trades (England and Wales) 293,000
Retail Food Trades (Scotland) 36,500
Retail Furnishing and Allied Trades 200,000
Retail Newsagency, Tobacco and Confectionery Trades (England and Wales) 84,000
Retail Newsagency, Tobacco and Confectionery Trades (Scotland) 13,000
Road Haulage 220,000
Rope, Twine and Net 7,000
Rubber Proofed Garment Making Industry 1,000
Sack and Bag 3,000
Shirtmaking 43,000
Stamped or Pressed Metal Wares 20,000
Toy Manufacturing 40,000
Unlicensed Place of Refreshment 160,000
Wholesale Mantle and Costume 60,000
Total 3,409,900
Councils abolished since October 1973—
Boot and Floor Polish 1,250
Brush and Broom 8,000
Hair, Bass and Fibre 500