§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Labour (1) how many are affected by his confirmation of the recent Wages Council award to workers in the tobacco and confectionery trades; by what percentage hourly earnings and rates are expected to rise; how many are estimated to be earning no more than the minimum rates; and how many male workers are estimated to be earning £15 a week or more;
(2) how many are affected by his confirmation of the recent Wages Council award to workers in retail news agency; by what percentage hourly earnings and rates are expected to rise; how many are estimated to be earning no more than the minimum rates; and how many male workers are estimated to be earning £15 a week or more.
§ Mr. GunterI am answering the hon. Member's two Questions together since I assume that he is referring to the Wages Regulation (Retail Newsagency, Tobacco and Confectionery) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Order 1967 which came into operation on 11th September, 1967.
The new statutory minimum rates in this Order represent increases in the weekly rates of 12s. and 10s. for adult men and women workers respectively over the rates operative from 2nd May, 1966. For shop assistants aged 23 and over in the large provincial towns the percentage increases in the minimum hourly rates are 6.2 per cent. and 7.0 per cent. respectively. An estimated 80,000 workers are within the scope of the Order.
I regret that the information about earnings sought by the hon. Member is not available.
§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Labour how many are affected by his confirmation of the recent Wages Council award to workers in the cutlery and hollow ware industry; by what percentage hourly earnings and rates are expected to rise; how many are estimated to be earning no more than the minimum rates; and how many male workers are estimated to be earning £15 a week or more.
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§ Mr. GunterThe new statutory minimum rates brought into effect on 30th August, 1967, by the Wages Regulation (Cutlery) Order 1967 represent increases in the minimum rates of 2d. per hour for both men and women adult workers over the rates operative from 17th December, 1965. The percentage increases in the minimum hourly rates for the lowest-paid adult workers are 3.4 per cent. and 4.8 per cent. for men and women respectively. An estimated 8,000 workers are within the scope of the Order.
The new statutory minimum rates brought into effect on 28th August, 1967, by the Wages Regulation (Hollow-Ware) Order 1967 represent increases in the minimum rates of 3d. and 4¼d. per hour for adult men and women workers respectively over the rates operative from
TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT 9TH OCTOBER, 1967 Men Boys Women Girls Total Ardrossan … … … … 467 24 251 22 764 Largs … … … … 87 4 22 1 114 Rothesay … … … … 143 6 42 6 197 Stevenston … … … … 278 7 156 5 446