§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the number of male and female workers who would be prevented from working more than 48 hours per week under the working hours directive; in which industries they work; and what evidence she has on whether their health and safety has been jeopardised by working more than 48 hours a week.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe EC directive on working time as currently drafted would prevent employees in most industries from working more than 48 hours a week on average over a three-month period. The latest available statistics for employees usually working more than 48 paid hours a week in the United Kingdom are as follows:
Industry1 All employees Men (000's) Women All industries 2,416 2,145 271 0. Agriculture, forestry, etc. 79 71 —2 1. Energy and water supply 94 93 —2 2. Mineral extraction, etc. 114 112 —2 3. Metal goods, etc. 315 302 14 4. Other manufacturing 258 231 27 5. Construction 212 208 —2 6. Hotels, distribution, etc. 410 343 67 7. Transport and communication 335 314 21 8, Financial services, etc. 187 166 21 9. Other services 403 297 106 Source: United Kingdom Labour Force Survey 1991.
1 By Standard Industrial Classification Divisions. Figures for 'all employees' include those whose industry is unknown or whose workplace is outside the United Kingdom.
2 Denotes sample too small to provide a reliable estimate.
The directive as currently drafted excludes from its scope air, sea, road and rail transport, and sea fishing. If these exclusions are adopted certain employees in divisions 0 and 7 would not be prevented by the directive from working more than 48 hours a week. The EC Commission has said that it will introduce specific proposals on working time for any sectors excluded from the working time directive.
I have no evidence that the health and safety of workers who work more than 48 hours a week has been jeopardised. Nor has the European Commission or any other member state provided any. During the survey reference week on which the statistics are based 4.9 per cent. of employees who usually work up to 48 hours a week were reported as absent due to sickness or injury, whereas only 3.9 per cent. of workers who usually work over 48 hours a week were absent for this reason.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the average earnings of those working more than 48 hours a week, by distribution of trade or profession, together with the estimate of the fall in earnings which would result from a reduction to 48 hours.
168W
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe 1991 new earnings survey provided information on the average weekly earnings of employees who work more than 48 hours per week. The results for the nine major occupational groups of the standard occupational classification are as follows:
Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence and who worked for more than 48 hours per week Occupation Average weekly earnings (£) Managers and Administrators 382.4 Professional Occupations 519.2 Associate Professional and Technical Occupations 460.3 Clerical and Secretarial 305.1 Craft and Related 369.5 Personal and Protective Service Occupations 281.3 Sales Occupations 271.4 Plant and Machine Operatives 309.5 Other Occupations 288.2 All Occupations 333.0 Source: New Earnings Survey 1991.
A memorandum presenting estimates of the initial cost of compliance with the draft directive on working time has been placed in the Library. This memorandum estimates the total wage cost of paid hours currently worked in excess of 48 hours a week to be £7 billion. Half of this cost is assumed to be borne by employers through increased labour costs. The other £3.5 billion is assumed to be borne by affected employees either through lower weekly earnings or through working harder for no financial reward. The pay packets of up to 2.5 million employees could be affected.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what grounds the EC is considering a 48-hour maximum working week.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythA draft directive on working time has been put forward by the EC Commission on the basis of article 118a of the treaty of Rome, which concerns the health and safety of workers; this is unacceptable to the Government. The Commission's original proposals did not include provision for a maximum 48-hour working week. This provision was introduced subsequently because some member states assert that it is necessary to place a maximum limit on weekly working hours in order to ensure the health and safety of Community workers. I am not aware of any evidence to support this claim, nor for the choice of 48 hours as the limit.