§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many women cleaners were employed directly by the Government to clean Government offices in 1964, 1966, 1970 and at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe figures as requested are not available. The total figures given in the Estimates are a mixture of full-time and part-time staff, the latter counted in half units. The follow-338W ing were the total Estimates provisions for the years concerned:
1964–65 6,050 (10,890) 1966–67 5,708 (10,275) 1970–71 3,894 (6,909) 1971–72 3,764 (6,775) While exact figures are not available it is known that over 80 per cent. of cleaning staff are part time and most are women. The figures in brackets show the total number of staff on the assumption that 80 per cent. of the Estimates provisions were for part time.
§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many women cleaners were employed by cleaning agencies to clean Government offices in 1964, 1966, 1970 and at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerContracts for cleaning are placed by Departments for each building separately and they are based on a price per hundred square feet and not on the number of staff to be employed. The only comparison available between the extent of contract cleaning and direct cleaning in Government offices is quoted in paragraph 65 of the NBPI Report No. 168 (Cmnd. 4637) published in April, 1971. At that time, 42 million square feet was being cleaned by contractors and 21 million square feet by directly employed cleaners.
§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many women employed to clean Government offices receive less than the national minimum rate for Government service; and what proportion of these is provided by contract cleaners.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerAll women cleaners employed by Government Departments receive the hourly rate of pay which has been determined on the basis of pay research on comparable work outside the Civil Service and agreed with the representative Staff Association. The current national rate, payable from 1st January, 1972 is £0.379. For cleaners working 40 hours per week the consequent national weekly wage is £15.16. These rates are subject to a London weighting of £0.078 per hour in Inner London and £0.04 per hour in Outer London which increases the basic wage to £18.28 per week in Inner London and £16.76 per week in Outer London.
339WThe number of women employed on contract cleaning, and their remuneration, is a matter for each contractor, but every cleaning contract for Government offices includes an obligation on the contractor to comply with the Fair Wages Resolution passed by this House on 14th October, 1946.