§ Mr. John Ellisasked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to make a statement on the guaranteed week agreement; and whether the Government proposals are based on a 75 per cent. payment of normal earnings.
§ Mr. Golding,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2 April 1979; Vol. 965, c. 521], gave the following answer:
Government proposals that workers on short-time should be paid 75 per cent. of normal pay for each day lost are contained in the Short-time Working Compensation Bill which received its First Reading on 21 March. Compensation under the temporary short-time working scheme which commences today will also be at 75 per cent. of normal pay for each day lost. Normal pay is defined in 810W schedule 14 to the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, and, broadly speaking, is gross earnings less overtime earnings. Because compensation is on a daily basis a worker receives between 75 per cent. and 95 per cent. of normal pay each week depending upon the number of days lost in that week.