§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is Her Majesty's Government's policy that, in calculating the increase in pay needed to cover the past increases in the cost of living, negotiations should take into account threshold payments to comply with the social contract.
§ Mr. BoothThe TUC guidelines on pay, which have been welcomed by the Government, include a recommendation to unions to claim compensation for the rise in the cost of living since the last settlement, taking into account that those people covered by threshold arrangements will already have received some compensation for current price increases.
§ Mr. Brittanasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will discuss with the TUC General Council and leading branch and district union officials the degree of support being given to the social contract.
Average gross weekly earnings (£) Percentage increase in average gross weekly earnings 1972 1973 1974 1972–73 1973–74 £ £ £ Per cent. Per cent. Full-time men (aged 21 and over) Central South West England 33.50 38.80 Not available 15.9 Not available Dorset … … Not available 44.50 Not available Somerset … … 45.70 Wiltshire … … 45.10 England and Wales … … 36.90 42.00 47.90 13.9 13.9 Great Britain … … 36.70 41.90 47.70 14.1 13.9 Full-time women (aged 18 and over) Central South West England 19.20 21.80 Not available 13.6 Not available Dorset … … Not available 25.90 Not available Somerset … … 26.30 Wiltshire … … 25.60 England and Wales … … 20.60 23.20 27.10 12.3 16.9 Great Britain … … 20.50 23.10 26.90 12.4 16.8 The estimates are given to the nearest l0p and are subject to sampling errors.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the percentage increases in total household income in the central South-Western region of England in 1973 and 1974; and what were the corresponding figures for (i) England and Wales (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.
§ Mr. BoothFrom the Family Expenditure Survey it is estimated that total household income in the South-West Region was 17 per cent. higher in 1973 than in 1972. For both England and
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§ Mr. BoothMy right hon. Friend has had frequent discussions with the TUC and trade union leaders about the operation of the social contract and will continue to do so.