HC Deb 06 May 1968 vol 764 cc10-1W
33. Mr. Tudor Watkins

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she will give details of the cost of implementing equal pay.

Mr. Harold Walker

This question is being studied by a joint group of officials of the Confederation of British Industries, the Trades Union Congress and my Department. The direct cost of implementing equal pay would depend on what definition is used. Rough estimates of the average direct cost for all industries together, without taking account of possible repercussions, have ranged from 3 to 6 per cent. of the wage and salary bill, though the cost in particular industries might be much greater and this is still under investigation.

34. Mr. James Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, why the Government have not yet ratified International Labour Organisation Convention 100.

Mr. Harold Walker

Convention No. 100 concerning equal remuneration for men and women workers has not yet been ratified because the present position in this country is not in complete conformity with its provisions. The Government fully accept the principle of this Instrument.

45. Mr. Tudor Watkins

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, what consideration has been given, in her further consideration of the matter of equal pay, to the steps taken towards equal pay in the European Economic Community, details of which are in her possession.

Mr. Harold Walker

My Department is kept continuously informed of arrangements made by the European Economic Community for implementing equal pay. These arrangements were examined by a joint group of officials from the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress and my Department which has studied technical problems involved in introducing equal pay. The joint group is currently examining the implications for legislation of Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome.

Mr. Alldritt

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, if she will give a list of industries where women workers receive equal pay.

Mr. Harold Walker

Equal pay applies to non-manual employment in the public sector including the non-industrial civil service, teaching, local government, the national health service and the nationalised industries. Equal pay also applies in a small number of cases elsewhere, but the information available is insufficient to allow a list to be given.

Mr. Alldritt

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will give details of those industries where women receive the same increases in pay as men.

Mr. Harold Walker

The extraction of this information would require a disproportionate amount of staff time because there are more than 500 nationally-determined arrangements relating mainly to manual workers and there are many thousands of basic or occupational rates, each of which may be affected by supplementary provisions for piecework, shift-work, premium rates and district differentials. It is not possible, therefore, to give the information in the form requested, but details of changes in basic rates of wages are included in the monthly publication "Changes in Rates of Wages and Hours of Work".