§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage proportion of women manual workers' hourly earnings to men's at the most recent date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIn October, 1971, in all industries and services covered by the regular inquiry into earnings and hours of manual workers, average hourly earnings of women, aged 18 years and over, employed full-time were 61 per cent. of those for men, aged 21 years and over. This percentage does not, however, indicate the relationship between earnings of men and women for comparable work. It takes no account for example of marked differences in the relative numbers of men and women in the various occupations, levels of skill and industries covered by these inquiries.