HC Deb 11 February 1976 vol 905 cc256-7W
Mr. Dempsey

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the average wage being paid at the most recent convenient date, to males and females, respectively, over and under 18 years of age, in each of the regions throughout the United Kingdom.

Mr. Booth

The following information has been taken from my Department's regular inquiry into the earnings and hours of manual workers in October 1975. They relate to full-time manual men aged 21 years and over, and women, aged 18 years and over, in all the industries and services covered by the inquiry. They include those whose pay was affected by absence or short-time working; similar details are not available for youths under 21 years or for girls under 18 years. Differences in average earnings between regions include the effects of different industrial and occupational structures; they do not therefore give a precise indication of differences in earnings for comparable work.

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS—ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES COVERED
October 1975
Region Men aged 21 years and over £ Women aged 18 years and over £
South East 61.42 34.76
East Anglia 56.74 32.78
South West 55.99 34.37
West Midlands 58.95 34.74
East Midlands 56.61 31.83
Yorkshire and Humberside 57.54 32.50
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS—ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES COVERED
October 1975
Region Men aged 21 years and over £ Women aged 18 years and over £
North West 58.80 34.15
North 61.44 33.93
Wales 58.19 33.98
Scotland 60.71 35.28
Northern Ireland 54.83 31.95
United Kingdom 59.58 34.19