HC Deb 25 February 1985 vol 74 cc84-5W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the years 1979 to 1984 the earnings index for the agricultural workers covered by table 21 of Cmnd. 9423, deflated by the change in the taxes and prices index plus the change in national insurance contributions; and if he will also provide an index for the hourly as well as weekly earnings together with figures showing the change in output per head.

Mr. MacGregor

The information requested on the earnings of agricultural workers in the United Kingdom is shown in the table. An index of labour productivitiy based on gross product at constant prices per whole-time equivalent worker appears at table 24 of the Annual Review of Agriculture 1984 (Cmnd. 9423). No meaningful attribution of productivity amongst different sectors of the labour force can be made.

Indices of average earnings of agricultural workers (a) (1980=100)
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 *1984
Average weekly earnings real terms (b) 98 100 98 97 102 105
Average hourly earnings money terms 82 100 111 122 131 143
real terms (b) 97 100 96 97 100 105
real terms (c) 97 100 99 100 103 107
* Forecast
Notes: (a) For all hired regular whole-time male workers, 20 years old and over.
(b) Deflated by the tax and price index. The TPI takes account of the changes in liability to direct taxes including employees national insurance contributions.
(c) Deflated by the retail price index.

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