HC Deb 13 February 1996 vol 271 cc542-3W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion the statutory minimum wage contributes to the average national wage in(a) each EU state, (b) USA, (c) Japan, (d) Australia, (e) Canada and (f) New Zealand. [14973]

Mr. John M. Taylor

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Limited and somewhat dated evidence is available from the OECD jobs study, from which the table is taken.

Minimum wages relative to average wages by age, education, occupation and gender minimum wage/average wage of the respective groups
Men Women Both sexes
Education
Netherlands, 1989, lowest level, (adults) 0.627 0.777
Canada, 1988, 0–8 years of education 0.356 0.544
United States, 1987, 8–11 years of schooling 0.362 0.579
Occupation
France, 1991:
Blue-collar workers (ouvriers) 0.657 0.805 0.685
White-collar workers (employee) 0.603 0.667 0.639
Senior managers (cadres) 0.246 0.310 0.257
Age
Netherlands, 1989:
15–22, average youth MW 0.538 0.622
(15–22, adult minimum wage) (1.021) (1.182)
Canada, 1988:
16–19 0.565 0.607 0.583
20–24 0.443 0.510 0.470
France, 1987:
15–19 1.164
20–24 0.747
United States, 1987:
16–24, workers paid hourly rates 0.682 0.794
16–19, full-time wage and salary earners 0.697 0.795
20–24, full-time wage and salary earners 0.496 0.564

Note:

1. The youth minimum is estimated as the simple average of the seven specific youth rates.

Sources:

Netherlands: 1989 Wage Survey (submission from the Statistical Central Bureau);

Canada: Market Activity Survey (submission from Statistics Canada);

United States: Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Labour Force Statistics Derived From the Current Population Survey"

1948–87. 1988 (for age) and tabulations from the CPS from Prof. L. Katz (for education).

France: 1987, Declarations annuelles de donnees socials (DADS); 1991,

"L'Evolution des salaries", Dossiers statistiques du travail et de I'emploi.

No. 87, 1993.

Taken from OECD Jobs Study (1994), table 5.26, page 49. OECD, Paris.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer given on 15 January,Official Report, columns 476–77, if he will list the figures for purchasing power parity on a common basis, indicating the figures per hour; and if he will give the equivalent figures for minimum wage levels and purchasing power parity exchange rates for (a) Australia, (b) Canada, (c) New Zealand and (d) those EU countries excluded from the answer. [14969]

Mr. Taylor

The table shows the minimum wage in a number of countries, calculated as an hourly rate, and translated into sterling using purchasing power parity exchange rates.

Country Minimum wage level (hourly rate) Own currency At PPP1 exchange rates Sterling
Belgium BF 249.9 £4.32
France FF 36.98 £3.61
Greece Dr 667.2 £2.20
Luxembourg LF 252.37 £4.07
Netherlands HfL 12.6 £3.83
Portugal Esc 300 £1.64
Spain Pts 374.54 £1.99
USA US$ 4.25 £2.75
Japan2 Y 554 £1.98
Canada C$ 6.25 £3.26
New Zealand NZ$ 6.25 £2.68
All minimum wages converted to hourly rates, assuming a standard 40 hour week, 8 hour day.
1 Wage Rates converted to UK equivalent using 1994 purchasing power parities from OECD National Accounts, 1996.
2 The lowest regional rate.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the work force is covered by the minimum wage in respect of(a) Australia, (b) Canada, (c) New Zealand, (d) all EU countries, (e) USA and (f) Japan. [14970]

Mr. Taylor

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.