§ 55. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will give an assurance that in future she will treat all proposed income increases of company directors and higher paid executives on the same basis as industrial workers and freeze any proposal of an income rise above 3½ per cent. until the National Board for Price and Incomes have issued their report.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerIt is not the Government's policy to refer all proposals for an income rise above 3½ per cent. to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.
§ 56. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she is aware that on many occasions company directors and other high paid executives have increased their salaries between £500 per annum to £5,000 per annum on incomes ranging from £5,000 to £50,000 per annum; and in how many of these instances she has refused to approve such increases and has frozen them pending an investigation by the National Board for Prices and Incomes.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerIncreases involving less than 100 people are not required8W to be notified under the early warning arrangements. Comprehensive and detailed information about changes in the remuneration of company directors and senior executives is not therefore available. No standstills in association with reference to the N.B.P.I. have been imposed.
As my hon. Friend is aware, the general question of higher salaries is at present being investigated by the Board.