HC Deb 10 July 1973 vol 859 cc305-6W
Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects that the figure for the number of people employed in the wool textile industry in June 1972 will be available.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Provisional estimates for Great Britain were published in the August 1972 issue of the Department of Employment Gazette. Revised figures for Great Britain derived from the new censuses of employment will be avail- able within the next month or two and regional figures from the same source as soon as possible thereafter.

Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many major national wage agreements have been made since June 1970 affecting most workers in the wool textile industry; and what was the percentage increase of each of these awards.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

The national agreement that affects most workers in the wool textile industry is that covering woollen and worsted spinning in Yorkshire. Under this agreement there have been three settlements since June 1970. The percentage increases at each change are set out below. It should be noted that these changes relate to minimum earnings levels.

Adult manual workers (other than maintenance workers)
Percentage Increases in Minimum Earnings Levels
Date Men Women
May 1971 10 10
May 1972 10 to 18.9* 10 to 37.6*
May 1973 7.9 to 11.8* 14.3 to 18.5*
* According to occupation.