HC Deb 09 March 1979 vol 963 cc861-2W
Mr. Lawson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to the written answer to the hon. Member for Blaby on 5 March concerning unemployment in the public and private sectors of

Minimum Public Sector Private Sector
£50 £5m. (1½ per cent.) £21m. (3 per cent.)
£55 £10m. (2½ per cent.) £34m. (5 per cent.)
£60 £18m. (4½ per cent.) £52m. (8 per cent.)

These rough estimates are based on the new earnings survey results for those whose pay was not affected by absence.

the economy, if he will provide comparable figures showing the percentage unemployed at the latest available date (a) in industry, including both privately owned and nationalised and (b) in government, including both central and local.

Mr. Golding

At 8 February, the unemployment rates for Great Britain were 2.7 per cent. in central and local government and 5.4 per cent. in all other industries and services. Central and local government has been defined as educational services (MLH 872), medical and dental services (MLH 874), national government service (MLH 901) and local government service (MLH 906).

Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the cost to employers in (a) the private and (b) the public sector of introducing a national minimum wage at £50 a week, £55 a week and £60 a week applicable to all adult workers.

Mr. Harold Walker

Bringing gross weekly earnings, excluding overtime pay, of full-time men aged 21 and over and full-time women aged 18 and over up to £50, £55, £60 at April 1978 would have resulted in the following increases in that component of the total weekly wage and salary bill in the public and private sectors.

They take no account of repercussions on those with higher earnings or overtime pay, nor of part-time employment.