§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Labour what is the estimated percentage increase in rates and earnings arising from Wages Council's orders regulating minimum wage rates and holiday time for workers in the coffin furniture and cerement making industries.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsA Wages Regulation Order giving effect to proposals from the Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making Wages Council recently raised the statutory minimum rates for men and women workers by 3½ d. and 3d. per hour respectively. These cash increases represented increases on the statutory minima fixed in January, 1965 ranging from 6. 1 per cent. to 8. 0 per cent. according to grade, age, sex and section of the trade. A second Order, giving effect to proposals from the Council concerning holiday entitlements, increased the number of customary holidays from six to seven in 1966 and to eight from
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MEN Period
Employees" share Employed Employer's share Total Self-employed Non-employed s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 5th July, 1948–30th September. 1951 4 11 4 2 9 1 6 2 4 8 1st October, 1951–5th October, 1952 5 1 4 4 9 5 6 6 5 0 6th October, 1952–5th June, 1955 5 9 5 0 10 9 7 5 5 7 6th June, 1955–1st September, 1957 6 9 6 0 12 9 8 5 6 6 2nd September, 1957–2nd February. 1958 7 5 6 2 13 7 9 3 7 4 3rd February, 1958–4th July, 1958 9 5 8 1 17 6 11 6 9 1 1967 onwards. The increase in customary holidays does not affect the hourly rates.
We have no information about the effect on earnings in this particular trade.