HC Deb 26 February 1970 vol 796 cc367-70W
3. Sir G. de Freitas

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what were the relative rates of growth in wages between 1958 and 1968 in the countries of the European Community and in the United Kingdom,

(a) Non-agricultural sectors (b) Manufacturing Variations in industrial coverage from those given in column headings (a) or (b)
Belgium Earnings per day: Earnings per day:
Males 6.2* Males 6.5 (a) Excluding commerce
Females 8.1* Females 7.9
Earnings per hour:
All workers 6.8
France Earnings per hour: Rates of pay per hour: (a) Excluding mining and quarrying, state operated transport and the governmental services.
All workers 7.8 All workers 7.5
Federal Republic of Germany Earnings per hour: Earnings per hour (a) Excluding commerce and transport
Males 7.5 Males 7.6
Females 8.6 Females 8.6
All workers 7.7 All workers 7.9
Earnings per week: Earnings per week:
All workers 7.1 All workers 7.3
Italy Rates of pay per hour: Earnings per hour: (a) Excluding commerce and transport
All workers 7.3 All workers 7.5
Luxembourg Earnings per hour: Earnings per hour: (a) Excluding commerce and transport
All workers 5.7* All workers 5.5*
Netherlands Earnings per day: Earnings per hour:
All workers 7.3† Males‡ 9.3
Females‡ 11.2
All workers 9.9
Earnings per week:
All workers 9.2
United Kingdom Earnings per hour: Earnings per hour:
Males‡ 6.3 Males‡ 6.2 (a) Excluding coalmining, commerce and railways
Females‡ 6.1 Females‡ 6.1
Earnings per week: Earnings per week:
Males 6.0 Males 5.8
Females‡ 5.3 Females‡ 5.3
*Period 1958–1967.
† Period 1958–1965; includes salaried employees.
‡ Adults only.

SOURCES: E.E.C. Countries; I.L.O. Yearbooks of Labour Statistics; U.K. Department of Employment and Productivity.

4. Sir G. de Freitas

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what are the number of days of paid holiday in each of the countries of the European Economic Community and in the United Kingdom, from information available from international sources.

from information available from international sources.

Mr. Harold Walker

Owing to differences in concept, scope, methodology and presentation it cannot be assumed that figures for different countries are comparable.

Following are the average annual percentage (compound) rates of growth in wages for the period 1958–1968 (except where otherwise stated):

Mr. Harold Walker

Owing to variations in service entitlements and conditions, and to the differing coverage of individual collective agreements and statutory orders, it is not practicable to calculate the average length of paid holidays for manual workers in the United Kingdom. It is, however, estimated that about 50 per cent. of manual workers are entitled to a minimum of two weeks' paid annual holiday per year, about 35 per cent. to between two and three weeks and the remainder, 15 per cent., to three weeks. About 30 per cent. of all manual workers are employed in industries and services in which there is provision for additional days of paid annual holiday, dependent on the length of the individual worker's service with the same employer. Corresponding information is not available for non-manual workers but most of these employees in the public sector have a basic entitlement to three weeks' or more paid annual holiday, or have a similar basic entitlement after a period of continuous service. In addition to paid annual holidays, in the United Kingdom there are some six days of public holiday for all workers.

Under existing legislation the minimum annual holiday is 15 working days in the Federal Republic of Germany and 18 in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. In many cases, however, collective agreements give more favourable terms. In France, for example, most collective agreements concluded since 1963 provide for a fourth week of holiday. Most Italian agreements provide for a basic annual holiday of 12 working days, while in the Netherlands the agreed period has generally been three weeks since 1964. Furthermore, most legislation and agreements provide for a specified number of additional days' holiday above a certain age, or according to seniority in the firm, or for other reasons. In Germany, for example, it was estimated on 1st January, 1965 that 70 per cent. of wage earners and 41 per cent. of salary earners had an annual holiday of 21 days under collective agreements, that 27 per cent. and 40 per cent. of the same categories had 22 to 24 days and that 3 per cent. and 7 per cent. respectively had 25 or more days of holiday per year. In the same country, the law provides for 18 days' holiday from the age of 35 onwards, while disabled workers are entitled by law to six additional days of holiday and young people under 18 to 24 days days each year.

The number of paid public holidays fixed by law or agreement is eight on average in France, six or seven in the Netherlands, 10 in Belgium and Luxem- bourg, 10 to 13 in Germany and 17 in Italy.

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