§ Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to the replies given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 21 February, c. 190, and 29 October c. 402,what progress has been made with the review of pay statistics; and whether it is possible to produce figures showing the number of adults with a basic wage in April of less than (a) £45 and (b)£50 on a comparable basis, with the same starting age for both men and women, either 18 or 21 years.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 6 December 1979]: Consultations are being made on the possibility of introducing some changes in the questionnaire for earnings surveys in 1980 to identify employees on adult rates irrespective of age, and on their completion I will write to my hon. Friend.
Figures based on the same age groups for men and women are available for a number of analyses based on the new earnings survey (for example table 126 of the Department of Employment Gazette). The requested analysis based on all adults aged 18 and over is as follows:
Millions Gross weekly earnings (excluding Overtime earnings) Number of full-time Employees aged 18 and Over whose pay in April 1979 was not Affected by absence Men Women Less than £45 0.3 0.9 Less than £50 0.6 1.5 Source: New earnings survey 1979.