§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent assessment he has made of the consequences of the abolition of the wages councils for wages in those industries previously covered by them. [7083]
Mr. John M. TaylorChanges in earnings in particular industries reflect the varying conditions in those industries and it is not possible to attribute such changes to any particular event. Between April 1994 and April 1995, average earnings of full-time workers covered by the main wages councils before their abolition in August 1993 rose at a comparable rate to those of workers employed in other industries.