HC Deb 22 November 1977 vol 939 cc728-30W
Mr. Hicks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the recent decision of the Licenced Residential Establishment and Licenced Restaurant Wages Council to grant wage increases in excess of the Government's guidelines which take effect from 6th October 1977 under the terms of the Employment Protection Act, what will be his attitude to employers who implement this decision and to those employees in receipt of the temporary employment subsidy who thus no longer comply with the condition of adhering to the Government's pay guidelines.

Mr. John Grant

Employers who do no more than is necessary to comply with the wages order will be fulfilling a statutory obligation and therefore not in breach of the pay guidelines. However, employers already paying above the statutory minimum rates will be expected to observe the guidelines.

Mr. Hicks

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he proposes to take following the decision of the Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant Wages Council to agree wage increases to the statutory minimum rate in excess of the Government's pay guidelines, despite representations from his Department that the council should reconsider these proposals.

Mr. John Grant

I have no power to prevent the making of the wages order.