HC Deb 08 December 1953 vol 521 cc212-3W
89. Mr. Gower

asked the Minister of Labour the average weekly earnings of the engineering and shipbuilding workers, respectively, who were concerned in the recent one-day strike; what were their average weekly earnings in 1946;and if he will give the estimated value of their present average earnings in terms of 1939 values.

Mr. Watkinson

Information about the current weekly earnings of the workers actually involved in this stoppage is not available, but statistics of the average weekly earnings of manual wage-earners in various branches of the engineering, shipbuilding, vehicle manufacture and other metal industries in April, 1953, are given in the September, 1953, issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Similar details for January and October, 1946, are given in the issues of the Gazette for July, 1946, and April, 1947. I regret that no satisfactory basis exists for expressing these figures in terms of 1939 values.

90. Mr. Gower

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated value of production lost through the recent one day strike of engineering and shipbuilding workers; what is the estimated proportion of this production which was designed for export abroad; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watkinson

I am afraid I have no means of making the estimates for which my hon. Friend asks.