HC Deb 16 March 1971 vol 813 cc304-5W
Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the approximate number of persons in full-time employment whose incomes are regulated through trade union or other joint bargaining machinery, derived from self-employment, and determined by direct negotiation, respectively; what is the estimated total annual earned income for each group; and what means he has at his disposal for estimating increases in income for those who are self-employed or who make individual settlements.

Mr. Bryan

The available estimates of annual incomes from employment do not distinguish separately the income of those employees whose rates of pay are regulated by statutory orders or voluntary collective bargaining.

The New Earnings Survey measures weekly not annual earnings, but distinguishes full-time employees and those who are within the scope of statutory orders or affected by national collective agreements. Some of the latter may also have individual settlements, and many of those not affected by national agreements will be affected by company, district and other non-national agreements.

In April, 1970, it is estimated that about 12 million of the 18 million adults in full-time employment in Great Britain were affected by statutory orders and/or national collective agreements. Changes in the earnings of all employees between April, 1970, and April, 1971, will be measured by the 1971 survey.

The United Kingdom national accounts estimates for 1969 include wages and salaries £24,185 million and income from self-employment £3,009 million. Information about individual annual incomes from self-employment is available only to Inland Revenue; changes in the aggregate may be measured from the national accounts.