HC Deb 03 March 1972 vol 832 cc196-8W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the average earnings for male farm workers have moved in relation to the average earnings of adult male workers in industry on an annual basis during the past 10 years, both in cash terms and on a percentage basis.

Mr. Bryan

Following is the information available from the Department's regular

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
All manufacturing industries Full-time men—manual workers, aged 21 years and over, United Kingdom £ Agriculture Hired regular whole-time workers Men, aged 20 years and over Yearly period* Great Britain £ Col. (4) as percentage of Col. (2)
October, 1961 … … 15.89 April, 1961—March, 1962 … 10.98 69.1
October, 1962 … … 16.34 April, 1962—March, 1963 … 11.50 70.4
October, 1963 … … 17.29 April, 1963—March, 1964 … 12.27 71.0
October, 1964 … … 18.67 April, 1964—March, 1965 … 12.79 68.5
October, 1965 … … 20.16 April, 1965—March, 1966 … 13.80 68.5
October, 1966 … … 20.78 April, 1966—March, 1967 … 14.55 70.0
October, 1967 … … 21.89 April, 1967—March, 1968 … 15.24 69.6
October, 1968 … … 23.62 April, 1968—March, 1969 … 16.10 68.2
October, 1969 … … 25.54 April, 1969—March, 1970 … 17.54 68.7
October, 1970 … … 28.91 April, 1970—March, 1971 … 19.18 66.3
October, 1971 … … 31.37 April, 1971—March, 1972 … Not yet available †

Notes:

* Earnings for April—March year in Agriculture do not reflect the full effect of Agricultural Wages Board awards effective earlier that year.

† Earnings in the quarter ending September, 1971 were £22.31 for agricultural workers giving a relativity of 71.1 per cent. with industrial earnings.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what criteria the Agricultural Wages Board rejected the farm workers' claim for an £18, 40 hour, five day week on economic or social grounds, in view of £18 being the basic wage of mining's lowest category, the surface workers, before Wilberforce recommended a £5 improvement for this category.

Mr. Anthony Stodart

I have been asked to reply.

OCCUPATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBER OF MEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED WHO LAST WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, AND OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES FOR MEN REMAINING UNFILLED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, IN GREAT BRITAIN AT JANUARY, 1972, THE LATEST DATE FOR WHICH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
Wholly unemployed Unfilled vacancies
Carpenter, joiner, shutterer … … … … 6,240 1,813
Bricklayer … … … … 3,317 1,541
Mason, stone carver … … … … 181 94
Slater, tiler, thatcher, etc. … … … … 1,141 105
Plasterer … … … … 1,290 323
Floor and wall tiler, etc. … … … … 525 46
Painter, decorator, signwriter … … … … 10,412 378
Plumber, gas fitter, etc. … … … … 4,793 841
Glazier … … … … 171 71
Pavior, road etc. surface layer … … … … 782 62
Steel erector, sheeter … … … … 3,323 25
Electrician, cable jointer, linesman … … … … 3,755 390
Mechanical handling plant, etc., operator … … … 4,126 144
Erector, millwright, maintenance fitter … … … … 1,175 101
All other occupations, including miscellaneous building and civil engineering workers and labourers … … … 113,682 3,022
Total, all occupations … … … … 154,913 8,956

The vacancy statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

inquiry into the earnings and hours of manual workers, and for agriculture.

This is a matter for the Agricultural Wages Board. I am arranging for a copy of the Board's Press Notice to be sent to the hon. Member.