HC Deb 03 April 1990 vol 170 cc548-9W
Mr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average number of hours worked weekly by agricultural workers in each year since 1979.

Mr. Gummer

The information requested, based upon continuous surveys of the earnings and hours of hired agriculture workers conducted by the agricultural departments, is shown in the table.

Average weekly hours of regular whole-time hired male workers, 20 years and over, in agriculture, United Kingdom 1979–89
Year Average weekly hours
1979 46.2
1980 45.7
1981 46.3
1982 46.1
1983 46.5
1984 46.2
1985 46.9
1986 46.7
1987 46.5
1988 46.6
11989 46.5
1 Forecast.

Sources: Agriculture in the United Kingdom, 1989 White Papers on the Annual Review of Agriculture 1984 to 1988.

Mr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average level of gross weekly earnings for agricultural workers in each year since 1979 in cash, constant prices and as a proportion of national average manual earnings.

Mr. Gummer

The information requested, based upon continuous surveys of the earnings and hours of hired agricultural workers conducted by the agriculture departments, is shown in the table.

Average weekly earnings of regular whole-time hired male workers, 20 years and over, in agriculture, United Kingdom, 1979 to 1989
Average earnings of agricultural workers
£/week Index in real terms (a) As a proportion of average manual earnings (b)
1979 71.8 89.3 78
1980 86.0 90.7 78
1981 96.3 90.8 80
1982 105.4 91.5 80
1983 116.6 96.8 82
1984 122.6 96.9 80
1985 134.1 100.0 82
1986 140.8 101.5 81
1987 148.0 102.5 80
1988 155.4 102.6 77
11989 166.0 101.6 76
1 forecast.

Notes: (a) Deflated by the retail prices index (1985=100).

(b) Based on the average earnings in April of each year of full-time manual male employee on adult rates of pay, earnings not affected by absence, from the new earnings survey.

Sources: Agriculture in the United Kingdom, 1989.

White Papers on the Annual Review of Agriculture, 1984.

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