HC Deb 02 May 1977 vol 931 cc56-8W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies of the leaflet "Are You Entitled to a Minimum Wage?" were printed; and how many and where these were distributed.

Mr. John Grant

750,000 copies of the leaflet have so far been printed. As an initial distribution, 121,000 copies were made available at local offices of the Employment Service Agency and 100,000 copies at benefit offices of the Department. A further 110,000 were distributed to the senior wages inspectors and regional offices of the Employment Service Agency and the Department for issue to other interested bodies. An initial 16,000 copies were also sent to the Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the details of inquiries received by the Wages Inspectorate from low-paid workers following distribution of the leaflet "Are You Entitled to a Minimum Wage?"

Mr. John Grant

192,755 inquiries were received between August 1976 and the end of March 1977.

It is not possible to say which of these could be attributed to the issue of the leaflet and which arose from other publicity given to the work of the Wages Inspectorate.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those wages councils where the stage one pay settlement was less than £6 for an adult worker, stating how many workers were covered by such agreements; and if he will list those wages councils where the stage two pay settlement has been above the £2.50 minimum.

Mr. John Grant

Stage 1 settlements of less than £6 per week
Coffin furniture and cerement making (part of balance of 20p to offset effects of consolidation of threshold payments) £5.80
Laundry £5.90
Retail bespoke tailoring (Scotland) £5.00
Retail bespoke tailoring (England and Wales) (unskilled grades only; skilled grades £6) £5.20
Retail newsagency, tobacco and confectionery trades (Scotland) (except managers, £6) £5.80
Cotton waste reclamation £5.20
Hairdressing undertakings (operative hairdresser and higher grades) (other workers, £4.00) (part of reduction to offset 1 extra week of holiday after 3 years' employment) £5.00

The breakdown of workers by age, and between grades in each wages council industry is not known; the numbers affected by these agreements cannot, therefore, be given.

Stage 2 settlements of more than £2.50
Retail Bespoke Tailoring (Scotland) £3.50

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those wages councils where the full-time adult male wage is greater than £35 per week.

Mr. John Grant

Certain workers, nearly all in skilled categories, have entitlement to statutory minimum remuneration of more than £35 per week in the following wages councils trades and industries:

  • Boot and shoe repairing (Great Britain)
  • Flax and hemp (Great Britain).
  • Fur (Great Britain).
  • Licensed non-residential establishment.
  • Perambulator and invalid carriage (Great Britain).
  • Pin, hook and eye and snap fastener (Great Britain).
  • Retail bespoke tailoring (England and Wales).
  • Retail bread and flour confectionery trades (England and Wales).
  • Retail drapery, outfitting and footwear trades (Great Britain).
  • Retail food trades (England and Wales).
  • Retail food trades (Scotland).
  • Retail furnishing and allied trades (Great Britain).
  • Road haulage.
  • Rope, twine and net (Great Britain).

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