HC Deb 11 March 1971 vol 813 cc162-4W
Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs, compared with the total costs on revenue account, in the steel industry since it was renationalised.

Mr. Ridley

Between October, 1967, and October, 1970, the wholesale price index for steel industries rose by 24 per cent. In the same period the average weekly earnings of manual workers employed in the manufacture of iron and steel rose by 35 per cent. for men aged 21 and over. The Chairman of the British Steel Corporation will be able to advise on wages and other costs in the nationalised sector of the steel industry.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs, compared with the total costs on revenue account, in the electricity industry since 1964;

(2) what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs, compared with the total costs on revenue account, in the gas industry since 1964;

(3) what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs, compared with the total costs on revenue account, in the coal industry since 1964.

PERCENTAGE CHANGES BETWEEN 1964–65 AND 1969–70
Average revenue or proceeds Annual wages and salaries bill Total labour Total revenue account costs
(a) (b) (a) (b)
per unit sold* per head per unit of output costs per head per head per unit of output
Electricity (England and Wales) +15 +36 -4 +39 +65 +17
Gas No change +40 -15 +34 +71 +3
Coal +12 +23 +3 +25 +39 +17
* Respectively pence per kWh, pence per therm and £ per ton at pithead. These and other figures are derived from the industries' published accounts and reports and from information appearing periodically in the Department's digest of statistics.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in prices and wages, and the increase per head in the total labour costs compared with total costs on revenue account in the printing industry since 1964.

Mr. Ridley

From October, 1964, to October, 1970, prices for general printing increased by 36 per cent.; manual workers' average weekly earnings increased by 60 and 65 per cent. for men aged 21 and over and for women aged 18 and over respectively. The other information is not available.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs compared with total costs on revenue account in the shipbuilding industry since 1964.

Mr. Ridley

From October, 1964, to October, 1970, average weekly earnings of manual workers in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry increased by 65 per cent. The other information is not available.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs compared with total costs in revenue account in the manufacture of artificial fibres since 1964.

Mr. Ridley

From October, 1964, to October, 1970, prices for man-made fibres increased by 2 per cent.; manual workers' average weekly earnings increased by 60 and 58 per cent. for men

Mr. Ridley

Information readily available is given in the following table. The figures are not comparable between industries.

aged 21 and over and for women aged 18 and over, respectively. The other information is not available.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages and the increase per head in total labour costs compared with total costs on revenue account in the manufacture of cotton fabrics since 1964.

Mr. Ridley

From October, 1964, to October, 1970, prices of cotton cloth increased by 39 per cent.; manual workers' average weekly earnings increased by 56 and 50 per cent. for men aged 21 and over and for women aged 18 and over, respectively. The other information is not available.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the increase in the retail prices of petrol since 1964 is due to increases in wages, and in petrol tax, respectively.

Mr. Ridley

The amount of the increase in retail prices varies from place to place, but in most cases the increase in tax would account for about two-thirds of the total increase and of the rest the increase in wages would account for only a small proportion.

Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in prices and in wages, and the increase per head in total labour costs compared with total costs on revenue account in the manufacture of woollen fabrics since 1964.

Mr. Ridley

I regret that this information is not available.