§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, with regard to the legislation introduced on 1st April 1975 by the Minister for the Civil Service covering minimum rates of pay for cleaning contractors' employees working in Government offices, he will consider creating a wages council to ensure that these rates of pay are adhered to throughout the whole contract cleaning industry.
§ Mr. John GrantNo. This matter was examined by the National Board for
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Wages Council Basic Minimum Earnings Stage 1 Supplements Stage 2 £ £ £ Aerated Waters (England and Wales) 18.35 6.00 — (plus cost of living payment £4.40) Aerated Waters (Scotland) 28.65 3.20 2.50 Boot and Shoe Repairing 24.00 6.00 — Button Manufacturing 22.40 1.60* 2.40* Coffin Furniture and Cerement-making 19.60 5.80 2.50* Corset 22.90 6.00 — Cotton Waste Reclamation 23.20 5.20 — Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (England and Wales) 22.90 6.00 — Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (Scotland) 21.90 6.00 — Flax and Hemp 28.78 6.00 — Fur 25.00 — 2.50* General Waste Materials Reclamation 25.20 6.00 — Hairdressing Undertakings 19.35 4.00 — Hat, Cap and Millinery 22.21 6.00 — Lace Finishing 22.80 6.00 — Laundry 22.00 5.90 — Licensed Non-residential Establishment 19.95 6.00 2.50* Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant 27.50 — 2.50* Linen and Cotton Handkerchief and Household Goods etc. 23.40 6.00 — Made-up Textiles 21.20 6.00 2.50* Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower 24.40 — 2.50 Perambulator and Invalid Carriage 27.00 6.00 — Pin, Hook and Eye and Snap Fastener 25.50 6.00 2.50* Ready-made and Wholesale Bespoke Tailoring 22.92 6.00 2.50* Retail Bespoke Tailoring (England and Wales) 24.53 5.20 — Retail Bespoke Tailoring (Scotland) 22.00 5.00 — Retail Bookselling and Stationery 25.50 2.50 2.50 Retail Bread and Flour Confectionery (England and Wales) 24.25 2.35 2.50* Retail Bread and Flour Confectionery (Scotland) 23.60 2.10 2.50 Retail Drapery, Outfitting and Footwear 25.60 6.00 — Retail Food (England and Wales) 25.70 2.10* 2.50* Retail Food (Scotland) 25.00 2.10* 2.50* Retail Furnishing and Allied Trades 26.50 2.50* 2.50* Retail News, Tobacco and Confectionery (England and Wales) 24.20 6.00 — Retail News, Tobacco and Confectionery (Scotland) 21.35 5.80 — Road Haulage 21.66 6.00 — (plus cost of living payment £3.20) Rope, Twine and Net 25.60 6.00 — Rubber Proofed Garment Making 21.49 6.00 2.50* Sack and Bag 24.00 6.00 — Shirtmaking 22.70 6.00 2.50* Toy Manufacturing 22.80 6.00 — Unlicensed Place of Refreshment 21.92 6.00 — Wholesale Mantle and Costume 22.92 6.00 — (Intermediate Provincial rates have been quoted). * Denotes at proposals stage only, or not in force until 12 months after last principal increase Prices and Incomes in its report, No. 168, "Pay and Conditions in the Contract Cleaning Trade", published in 1971. It reported that neither the employers nor the trade unions concerned favoured the establishment of a wages council, and it did not itself recommend one.