Mr. FOOT MITCHELLasked the Minister of Agriculture the average weekly wage paid to agricultural labourers in the different counties of England and Wales, and how this compares with the wage paid for similar work in Denmark, Germany, France and Italy.
Mr. GUINNESSThe following statement gives particulars of the minimum rates of wages for agricultural workers in each county of England and Wales. I have no definite information as to actual average weekly wages, but I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Second 917W Report of Proceedings under the Agricultural Wages Regulation Act, which contains certain references to the matter. There are no statistics available which
MINIMUM RATES of WAGES for Ordinary Male Workers of 21 years of age and over and Female Workers of 18 years of age and over as orce on 10th November, 1928, in England and Wales.
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Agricultural Wages Committee. Male Workers. Female Workers. Area. Minimum Weekly Wage. Hours per week in respect of which minimum weekly wage is payable. Minimum rate per hour (except where otherwise stated). Hours in respect of which minimum rate is payable (where specified). s. d. Winter. Summer. s. d. Beds and Hunts 30 6 48 50 0 6 — Berkshire 30 0 50 50 0 5* — Buckinghamshire 31 0 48 50 0 6 — Cambs, and Isle of Ely 30 0 48 50 0 5½ 8 per day. Cheshire 35 0 54 54 0 6 — Cornwall 31 0 51 51 0 5† — Cumberland and Westmorland. 31 0 48 — 0 5½ — 32 6 — 54 — — Derby 8d. per hour 54 54 — — (guaranteed). (guaranteed). 0 5 Devonshire 32 6 50 52 0 5† — Dorset 30 0 48 51 0 5 8½ per day winter. 9 per day summer. Durham 31 0 50 50 2 6 per day 8 per day. Essex 30 0 48 50 0 5½‡ — Gloucestershire 30 0 48 50 0 5 — Hants and Isle of Wight 30 6 48 51 0 5 — Herefordshire 31 0 48 54 0 4½ 46½ per week. Hertfordshire 31 0 48 48 24 0* per week 48 per week. Kent 32 6 48 52 0 5½ 8 per day. Lancashire, E. Area 42 0 60 60 0 6 — Lancashire, S. Area 33 6 50 50 0 6 — Lancashire, N. Area 37 6 60 60 0 6 — Leicester 34 0 54 54 0 5 — Rutland 32 6 50 54 0 5 — Lines, Holland 35 0 48 50 0 6 — Lincs, Kesteven and Lindsey. 32 0 48 52 0 5½ — Middlesex 33 0 48 — 24 0 per week 48 per week winter. 34 4½ — 50 25 0 per week 50 per week summer. Monmouth 32 0 50 52 0 6 — Norfolk 30 0 48 50 0 5 50 per week summer. 48 per week winter. Northants and Soke of Peterborough. 30 0 48 50 0 6 — Northumberland 32 0 48 52½ 0 5 48 per week winter. 52½ per week summer. Nottinghamshire 32 0 50 50 0 5 — Oxfordshire 30 0 48 50 0 6 — Shropshire 32 6 54 54 0 5 — Somerset 32 0 50 52 0 6‡ — Staffordshire 31 6 54 54 0 5 54 per week. Suffolk 30 0 48 50 0 5‡ — Surrey 32 3 50 50 0 5½ 50 per week. Sussex 31 0 48 52 0 5 48 per week winter. 52 per week summer. Warwickshire 30 0 48 50 0 5 48 per week winter. 50 per week summer. would permit of a comparison of agricultural wages in this country with those in the countries mentioned in the question.
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Agricultural Wages Committee. Male Workers. Female Workers. Area. Minimum Weekly Wage. Hours per week in respect of which minimum weekly wage is payable. Minimum rate per hour (except where otherwise stated). Hours in respect of which minimum rate is payable (where specified). s. d. Winter. Summer. s. d. Wiltshire 30 0 50 50 0 5 — Worcestershire 30 0 48 53 0 4½ 8 per day. Yorks., E. Riding 35 0 48 52½ 0 6 44 per week. Yorks., N. Riding 33 0 48 52½ 0 6 44 per week. Yorks., W. Riding 36 0 48 52½ 0 6 44 per week. Anglesey and Carnarvon 31 0 50 50 0 6 — Carmarthen 31 0 54 54 0 5 8 per day. Denbigh and Flint 30 0 50 50 0 5 8½ per day. Glamorgan 34 0 48 52 0 6 8½ per day. Merioneth and Mont. 30 0 54 54 0 5 — Pembroke and Cards. 31 0 52 54 0 5 8 per day. Radnor and Brecon 31 0 48 54 0 5 48 per week. * 19 years of age and over. † 20 years of age and over. ‡ 21 years of age and over.