HC Deb 24 July 1981 vol 9 cc250-1W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the average hourly earnings of full-time female employees expressed as a percentage of male earnings in each year since 1975.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The available information is as follows:

Average hourly earnings* of all full-time female employees as a percentage of average hourly earnings of all full-time male employees.
April Percentage
1975 71.1
1976 74.4
April Percentage
1977 74.8
1978 73.5
1979 72.5
1980 73.1
Source: New Earnings Survey
* Based on all employees for whom normal basic hours, with or without overtime hours, were reported and for whom hourly earnings could therefore be calculated. Employees whose earnings were affected by absence were omitted. The figures reflect overtime earnings.

Differences in average hourly earnings will reflect differences in the structure of employment (levels of skill, occupations, etc.) and in the incidence of overtime working, and do not necessarily imply differences in the level of pay for comparable jobs.