§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate the actual percentage women's rates in each of the 43 negotiating bodies in which women's rates are still less than 95 per cent. of the men's.
§ Mr. John FraserThe percentage rates recorded in my Department's register of collective agreements relating to the end of September 1974 are set out in the table below. The percentage shown are based on the rates given in Table 4 of the article on "Progress towards Equal Pay" in the August 1974 edition of the Department of Employment Gazette. Generally the comparison is between the lowest agreed rates for men and women.
The collective agreements shown are those asterisked in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 11th December—OFFICIAL REPORT, C. 170–3—excluding "Surgical Dressings—GB" where the relevant
634Wa particular day and not to the cumulative total of all those who have registered during a period.
figure is 96 per cent. It shouldbe noted that the situation is changing all the time and that some of the industries now have higher percentages than those quoted or have agreed programmes for phased progress towards equal pay.
635W
Per cent. Baking—master bakers—England and Wales 81 Baking—Scotland 82 Biscuit manufacture—GB 94 Brewing—Greater Manchester, East Cheshire 93 Brewing—South Wales and Monmouthshire 86 Brewing—Scotland 90 Grain distilling and ancillary trades—Scotland 93 Match manufacture—UK 85 Gelatine and glue—GB 90 Light metal trades—GB 90 Wire and wire rope—GB 93 Lock, latch and key-making—England 89 Cotton spinning and weaving 84 Wool textiles—Scotland 91 Knitwear manufacture—Scotland (except Hawick) 80 Knitwear manufacture—Hawick 84 Carpet manufacture—GB 80 Textile making-up and packing Manchester 81 Hosiery finishing—Midlands 80 Fellmongering—GB 92 Leather goods and allied trades—GB 90 Glove manufacture—England and Wales 77 Fletton bricks manufacture—Beds, Bucks. 89 Building brick and allied industries—England and Wales 92 Building brick and allied industries—Midlands 91 Building brick and allied industries Scotland 91 Refractory goods manufacture— —Scotland 91 Ceramic goods manufacture—GB 86 Home grown timber trade—England and Wales 90.5 Veneer producing and plywood manufacture—England and Wales 90 Furniture manufacture—GB 93 Timber containers—England and Wales 94
Per cent. Timber containers—Scotland 82 Printing and bookbinding—England and Wales (except London) 91 Lithographic printing and photogravure—England and Wales 90 Lithographic printing and photogravure—Scotland 90 Manufactured stationery —England and Wales 91 Rubber manufacture—GB 91 Pianoforte manufacture—GB 93 Penmaking and stationers' sundries manufacture—Birmingham and District 90 Building—England and Wales 87 Cinema theatres—UK 67