§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1945 the average industrial wage in terms of 1970 prices.
§ Mr. GoldingEstimates of average earnings at constant prices are not available.
The average gross weekly earnings of full-time manual men aged 21 and over in manufacturing industries in an October pay-week of each year from 1946 derived from the Department's regular enquiries are given below. They are also expressed as percentages of the 1970 figure, alongside corresponding figures for retail prices.
967W
Amount (in October) £ As percentage of October 1970 figure Index of retail prices* for October as percentage of October 1970 figure 1946 … 6.33 21.9 38.8 1947 … 6.71 23.2 39.3 1948 … 7.17 24.8 42.0 1949 … 7.40 25.6 43.6 1950 … 7.83 27.1 44.6 1951 … 8.60 29.7 50.0 1952 … 9.24 32.0 53.4 1953 … 9.83 34.0 54.3 1954 … 10.61 36.7 55.9 1955 … 11.55 40.0 58.8 1956 … 12.28 42.5 61.1 1957 … 13.06 45.2 63.7 1958 … 13.27 45.9 65.1 1959 … 14.21 49.2 65.0 1960 … 15.16 52.4 66.3 1961 … 15.89 55.0 68.9 1962 … 16.34 56.5 70.9 1963 … 17.29 59.8 72.5 1964 … 18.67 64.6 75.5 1965 … 20.16 69.7 79.1 1966 … 20.78 71.9 82.1 1967 … 21.89 75.7 83.7 1968 … 23.62 81.7 88.4
Amount (in October) As percentage of October 1970 figure Index of retail prices* for October as percentage of October 1970 figure 1969 … 25.54 88.3 93.1 1970 … 28.91 100.0 100.0 1971 … 31.37 108.5 109.4 1972 … 36.20 125.2 118.0 1973 … 41.52 143.6 129.7 1974 … 49.12 169.9 151.8 1975 … 59.74 206.6 191.1 1976 … 67.83 234.6 219.3 * The figures are derived from: (i) The General Index of Retail Prices 1956 to date. (ii) The Interim Index of Retail Prices June 1947 to January 1956. (iii) The Cost of Living Index. 1914 to June 1947.