HC Deb 17 May 1965 vol 712 c164W
57. Mr. Carmichael

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the current weekly wage rate for a light labourer in the Glasgow area; approximately how many men are working for this rate regularly without overtime; and how this wage has changed over the past five years.

Mr. Thornton

Collective agreements do not in general specify rates for light labourers. The nationally agreed minimum weekly time-rate for an adult male labourer in engineering in the Glasgow area is 179s. 8½d. but the minimum earnings level is 184s. 4d. Five years ago the comparable minimum weekly rate was 157s. 8½d. Information is not available about the numbers of men receiving only the minimum, without overtime, but in January, 1965, the average earnings of unskilled time-workers (including lieu workers) in the engineering industry in Scotland as a whole were 232s. for a normal week of 41 hours.