§ Mr. Marksasked the Secretary of State for Employment why the weekly rates of vocational training allowances for men 95W aged 20 years and over are greater than those for women.
§ Mr. Dudley Smith:It is generally undesirable for the rate of allowances to be higher than the wages a trainee can expect when employed in industry. Women's average wages are lower than those for men and that factor is taken into account when deciding the rate of allowances. The Equal Pay Act is expected to increase the level of wages for women and training allowances are being kept under review.
NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, IN THE AREAS COVERED BY EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN THE COUNTY OF FIFE Men Boys Women Girls Total Temporarily stopped included in total Percentage rate March, 1967 Anstruther … … 80 4 37 2 123 19 5.8 Cupar … … 134 3 62 9 208 9 2.4 Dunfermline … 334 16 366 36 752 43 4.8* Cowdenbeath … 786 32 433 39 1,290 13 Inverkeithing … 38 1 37 1 77 — Kirkcaldy … … 579 20 359 19 977 — 4.7* Burntisland … 38 2 39 3 82 — Glenrothes … … 249 21 218 16 504 — Leven and Methil … 604 29 367 29 1,029 5 St. Andrews … 132 5 9 4 150 77 2.5 March, 1968 Anstruther … … 87 — 64 1 152 20 7.1 Cupar … … 109 4 44 3 160 1 2.0 Dunfermline … 355 21 285 28 689 7 4.3* Cowdenbeath … 703 31 425 18 1,177 5 Inverkeithing … 39 2 23 — 64 — Kirkcaldy … … 724 26 260 7 1,017 — 5.6* Burntisland … 24 2 17 1 44 — Glenrothes … … 294 10 175 5 484 6 Leven and Methil … 1,166 29 266 23 1,484 1 St. Andrews … 46 3 6 3 58 — 0.9 March, 1969 Anstruther … … 124 2 52 — 178 42 7.9 Cupar … … 150 6 33 2 191 1 2.3 Dunfermline … 390 19 179 15 603 3 3.9* Cowdenbeath … 782 39 264 15 1,100 3 Inverkeithing … 55 1 19 4 79 1 Kirkcaldy … … 816 20 189 10 1,035 — 5.3* Burntisland … 83 1 17 1 102 — Glenrothes … … 355 17 205 2 579 — Leven and Methil … 962 18 253 14 1,247 5 St. Andrews … 69 4 2 1 76 3 1.3 March, 1970 Anstruther … … 129 2 47 3 181 47 7.8 Cupar … … 153 3 23 3 182 — 2.0 Dunfermline … 635 21 180 23 859 — 4.7* Cowdenbeath … 879 28 242 19 1,168 24 Inverkeithing … 91 3 13 2 109 — Kirkcaldy … … 790 24 156 10 980 3 5.2* Burntisland … 105 3 30 4 142 — Glenrothes … … 395 16 143 8 562 1 Leven and Methil … 953 22 229 24 1,228 8 St. Andrews … 76 — 7 — 83 4 1.3