§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many trades are covered by wages councils; and what is the minimum rate of pay for each trade so covered.
§ Mr. John GrantThirty-seven trades and industries are covered by 43 wages122W councils, there being separate councils for Scotland in six trades. With regard to the second part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to my hon. Friend for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker).
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment, how many of his Department's Wages Inspectorate have been employed in making spot checks on low wages since September 1976.
§ Mr. John GrantI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the recent programme of saturation inspections. Approximately 100 inspectors have spent one or two weeks each on these inspections since September 1976.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has further plans to ensure that minimum wage rates are observed by employers in trades covered by wages councils.
§ Mr. John GrantInvestigation of all complaints from workers in wages council trades will continue to be dealt with on a priority basis and routine inspections will be carried out in a proportion of the establishments in these trades. Follow-up visits will be made to some of the employers who were found to be underpaying during the recent saturation inspection exercise and I am considering the future of the exercise itself. A pilot scheme in two wages council trades using the new powers given to the Wages Inspectorate by Section 95 of the Employment Protection Act has just started in four different areas.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish for each wages council and board the current basic rate of pay for a standard work week of an adult male worker, the relevant overtime rates and holiday pay rates, any existing pay supplement and relevant overtime and holiday pay rates, assuming the pay supplements to be consolidated.
§ Mr. John GrantThe statutory minimum remuneration—smr—for a standard working week for the lowest grade of adult "other worker" in each wages council trade is:
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Wages Council Basic Minimum £ Earnings Supplements Operative date Overtime rates (over 40 hours per week) Stage 1 £ Stage 2 £ Total £ Holiday pay rates Aerated Waters (England and Wales) 18.35 6.00 — 28.75 18.2.76 2 hours at T¼, thereafter T½. Smr. (plus cost of living payment £4.40) Aerated Waters (Scotland) 28.65 3.20 2.50 34.35 18.9.76 T½ Smr. Boot and Shoe Repairing 24.00 6.00 2.50* 30.00 12.2.76 3 hours at T¼, T½ thereafter. Timeworker—arrangement current. 32.50* 12. 2.77 Pieceworker—smr plus 10 per cent. Button Manufacturing 22.40 1.60* 2.40 26.40 8.10.76 T¼ Smr. Coffin Furniture and Cerement-making 19.60 5.80 2.50 27.90 1.12.76 2 hours at T¼, 2 hours at T½, 2T thereafter (daily basis). Timeworker—3/52 of previous year's remuneration. § Pieceworker—smr plus 50 per cent. Corset 22.90 6.00 — 28.90 17.4.76 T¼ 17/260 of previous year's remuneration. § Cotton Waste Reclamation 23.20 5.20 — 28.40 28.7.76 2 hours at T¼,T½ thereafter. Smr. Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (England and Wales). 22.90 6.00 2.50* 28.90 25.3.76 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration paid in previous tax year. § 31.40* 25.3.77 Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing (Scotland). 21.90 6.00 — 27.90 30.6.76 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration paid in previous tax year. § Flax and Hemp 28.78 6.00 — 34.78 26. 7.76 T½ 7 per cent. of total remuneration paid in previous tax year. Fur 25.00 — 2.50║ 27.50 13.12.76 T½ Timeworker—arrangement current. Pieceworker—smr at pwbtr or gmtr. General Waste Materials Reclamation 25.20 6.00 — 31.20 28.7.76 T½ Smr. Hairdressing Undertakings 19.35 4.00 — 23.35 5.7.76 4 hours at T¼, T½ thereafter. Smr. Hat, Cap and Millinery 22.21 6.00 2.50* 28.21 1.7.76 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration in previous tax year. § 30.71* 1.4.77‡ Lace Finishing 22.80 6.00 — 28.80 26.6.76 T¼ 1/26 of total remuneration in previous tax year first 2 weeks, thereafter smr. Laundry 22.00 5.90 2.50*║ 27.90 20. 2.76 T¼ Smr. 30.40* 20. 2.77 126W127W
Basic Minimum Earnings Supplements Operative date Overtime rates (over 40 hours per week) Wages Council Stage1 Stage2 Total Holiday pay rates £ £ £ £ Licensed Non-residential Establishment 19.95 6.00 2.50║ 28.45 22.12.76 4 hours at T¼, T½ thereafter. Arrangement current plus meal allowance where appropriate. Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant. 27.50 — 2.50║ 30.00 6.10.76 4 hours at T¼, T½ thereafter. Smr. Linen and Cotton Handkerchief and Household Goods etc. 23.40 6.00 — 29.40 7.6.76 T½ 6½ per cent. of total remuneration in previous tax year. Made-up Textiles 21.20 6.00 2.50*║ 27.10 29.1.76 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration in previous tax year. § 29.70* 29.1.77 Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower. 24.40 — 2.50 26.90 24.9.76 T½ 17/260 of total remuneration in previous tax year. § Perambulator and Invalid Carriage 27.00 6.00 — 33.00 26.4.76 T¼ Smr. Pin, Hook and Eye and Snap Fastener 25.50 6.00 2.50║ 34.00 22.11.76 10 hours at T¼, thereafterT½. Smr plus 1/3. Ready-made and Wholesale Bespoke Tailoring. 22.92 6.00 2.50* 28.92 19.1.76 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration paid in previous tax year. § 31.42 19.1.77 Retail Bespoke Tailoring (England and Wales). 24.53 5.20 2.50* 28.92 19.2.76 T¼ 7½ per cent. of total net earnings in previous tax year. 32.23* 19.2.77 Retail Bespoke Tailoring (Scotland) 22.00 5.00 — 27.00 3.2.76 T¼ Smr. Retail Bookselling and Stationery 25.50 2.50† 2.50 30.50 23.8.76 T½ Smr. Retail Bread and Flour Confectionery (England and Wales). 24.25 2.35† 2.50 29.10 8.11.76 4 hours at T¼, thereafter T½. Smr. Retail Bread and Flour Confectionery (Scotland). 23.60 2.10† 2.50 28.20 8.9.76 6 hours at T¼, thereafter T½. Smr. Retail Drapery, Outfitting and Footwear 25.60 6.00 — 31.60 7.7.76 T½ Smr. Retail Food (England and Wales) 25.70 2.10† 2.50 30.30 8.11.76 T½ Smr. Retail Food (Scotland) 25.00 2.10† 2.50 29.60 24.11.76 T½ Smr. Retail Furnishing and Allied Trades 26.50 2.50† 2.50 31.50 6.10.76 T½ Smr. Retail News, Tobacco and Confectionery (England and Wales). 24.20 6.00 — 30.20 30.6.76 4 hours at T¼, thereafter T½. Smr. Retail News, Tobacco and Confectionery (Scotland). 21.35 5.80 — 27.15 5.4.76 4 hours at T¼, thereafter T½. Smr. Road Haulage 21.66 (plus cost of living payment £3.20) 6.00 — 30.86 29.2.76 T½ Smr. 128W
Basic Minimum Earnings Supplements Operative date Overtime rates (over 40 hours per week) Wages Council Stage1 Stage2 Total Holiday pay rates £ £ £ £ Rope, Twine and Net 25.60 6.00 — 31.60 26.7.76 T½ Smr plus 12½ per cent. Rubber Proofed Garment Making 21.49 6.00 2.50* 27.49 24.2.76 T¼ 6.75 per cent. of total remuneration. 29.99* 24.2.77 Sack and Bag 24.00 6.00 — 30.00 12.7.76 T¼ 6.4 per cent. of total remuneration in previous tax year. Shirtmaking 22.70 6.00 2.50 31.20 16.1.77 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration in previous tax year. § Toy Manufacturing 22.80 6.00 — 28.80 20.6.76 T¼ Smr plus 20 per cent. Unlicensed Place of Refreshment 21.92 6.00 — 27.92 21.6.76 6 hours at approximately T¼, thereafter approximately T½. Smr. Wholesale Mantle and Costume 22.92 6.00 2.50 31.42 16.1.77 T¼ 17/260 of total remuneration in previous tax year. § * At proposals stage, due to come into operation on the anniversary date shown. † These amounts are "topping-up" settlements in 1975 transitional cases, to give the maximum increase of £6.00 in the period 1st August 1975–31st July 1976. ‡ Staged increases in 1976. § Or smr, if greater. ║ Orders include formulae to give supplements of 5 per cent. (maximum £4) on earnings, calculated at smr, exceeding £50. Notes:
(1) No distinction is made between male and female workers in any order.
(2) The standard working week is 40 hours, except in Retail Newsagency (Scotland), which has a 42-hour week, and for certain Retail Food (England and Wales) workers, for whom it is 41 or 42 hours.
(3) Where area rates are specified, intermediate provincial rates (in Scotland, Area 2) have been quoted.
(4) Under incomes policy, it is not permissible to consolidate the earnings supplements. Overtime is therefore payable on the basic minimum rates (T¼=time and a quarter, T½=time and a half etc.). Most orders prescribe double time for time worked on Sundays or on customary holidays.