HC Deb 12 August 1966 vol 733 cc429-30W
Mr. Hugh D. Brown

asked the Postmaster-General what was the annual minor engineering wages bill for the period 1947–48 to 1965–66; and what is the annual estimated minor engineering wages bill for the period 1966–67 to 1970–71.

Mr. Joseph Slater

The information for the period up to 1967–68 is as follows:

£ million
1947–48 … … … 16.4
1948–49 … … … 17.5
1949–50 … … … 19.3
1950–51 … … … 20.1
1951–52 … … … 22.7
1952–53 … … … 25.0
1953–54 … … … 27.8
1954–55 … … … 29.3
1955–56 … … … 35.9
1956–57 … … … 44.0
1957–58 … … … 45.8
1958–59 … … … 48.4
1959–60 … … … 53.2
1960–61 … … … 54.1
1961–62 … … … 61.0
1962–63 … … … 64.9
1963–64 … … … 73.6
1964–65 … … … 90.8
1965–66 … … … 102.1
1966–67 … … … 107.4 (estimated)
1967–68 … … … 105.8 (estimated)

In present circumstances, meaningful estimates for later years cannot be made.

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of total annual engineering costs was accounted for by labour costs during the period 1956–57 to 1965–66; and what is the estimated annual proportion of labour costs to total engineering costs during the period 1966–67 to 1970–71.

Mr. Joseph Slater

The information for the period up to 1967–68 is as follows:

Per cent.
1956–57 … … … 38
1957–58 … … … 39
1958–59 … … … 39
1959–60 … … … 41
1960–61 … … … 41
1961–62 … … … 41
1962–63 … … … 40
1963–64 … … … 38
1964–65 … … … 41
1965–66 … … … 41
1966–67 … … … 36(estimated)
1967–68 … … … 32(estimated)

In present circumstances, meaningful estimates for later years cannot be made.