HC Deb 26 March 1975 vol 889 cc155-6W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to announce legislation to regulate home-workers as recommended in CIR Reports 49 and 77.

Mr. Booth

The Employment Protection Bill, published today, contains a provision to amend the definition of "worker" in the Wages Councils Act so that it will clearly cover homeworkers.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many visits have been made by the Wages Inspectorate to homeworkers in the past 12 months; and how many of these home-workers were receiving less than the statutory minimum wage for the industry concerned.

Mr. Harold Walker

In 1974 the wages of some 3,000 homeworkers were examined by the Wages Inspectorate. 146 of these homeworkers were found to have received less than their statutory minimum entitlements and all of these homeworkers were interviewed. 289 homeworkers in total were interviewed in the six months ending 31st December 1974; precise figures are not available for the previous six months, but the number visited in that period is likely to be similar to the number visited in the second six months.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he proposes to take under the Equal Pay Act to secure equal pay for male and female homeworkers.

Mr. John Fraser

The recently published Sex Discrimination Bill seeks to amend the Equal Pay Act so as to ensure that it will apply to homeworkers in the same way as it will apply to other workers.

The main method of operation of the Act will be for individuals to make complaints to industrial tribunals. However, from the end of this year my right hon. Friend will have powers to make references to industrial tribunals where it appears to him that a woman has a claim to equal treatment, but that it is not reasonable to expect her to make the reference herself. He will also have power to refer collective agreements, employers' pay structures and wages orders to the Industrial Arbitration Board for a declaration of the amendments needed to remove any discrimination. He will be prepared to use his powers in relation to homeworkers in appropriate circumstances in the same way as for other workers.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to secure and publish in some convenient form the information collected by local authorities under the Factories Act 1961 relating to homeworkers.

Mr. Harold Walker

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the information has not been collected centrally for recent years. Proposals to improve and bring up to date the arrangements for the notification of giving out work to homeworkers are being considered.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has of the numbers of homeworkers falling outside wages council jurisdiction.

Mr. Booth

After consultation with the Health and Safety Commission I have to tell my hon. Friend that there is no information on which such an estimate can be based.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has of the number of firms which in the past six months have been found not to have registered their homeworkers as required by the Factories Act 1961.

Mr. Harold Walker

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that no information is available on which such an estimate can be based.