§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what percentage of full-time agricultural workers earn (a) less than £40, (b) £40 to £50, (c) £50 to £60, (d) £60 to £70, (e) £70 to £80, (f) £80 to £90, and (g) above £90 per week; (2) what is the estimated value of (a) cheap or free food and (b) cheap or free accommodation given to agricultural workers.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe available information is that contained in "Agricultural Labour in England and Wales 1978" which is published by my Ministry, 29W and a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of agricultural workers earn less than national average earnings (a) in England and Wales, (b) in Scotland, (c) in Northern Ireland and (d) in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerDirectly comparable information is not available. A comparison of data from the Department of Employment's annual survey of manual workers in industry in the United Kingdom and data from wages and employment enquiries into earnings in agriculture gives the following:
Percentage of whole-time agricultural workers with average weekly earnings below United Kingdom average weekly earnings of manual workers in industry Country England and Wales 88 Scotland 91 N. Ireland 94 United Kingdom 89
AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF FULL-TIME REGULAR MALE WORKERS IN 1977 National currency Pence Month of survey Denmark … … … … 26.80 DKR 248 October Netherlands … … … … 10.45 HFL 242 October Belgium … … … … 137.61 BFR 220 October West Germany … … … … 8.48 DM 209 September France … … … … 11.93 FF 139 October Italy … … … … 1,832 LIR 119 September Luxembourg … … … … 72.40 LFR 116 September United Kingdom … … … … 1.11 UK£ 111 October Irish Republic … … … … 0.99 IR£ 99 November The data have been converted from national currencies into sterling at the exchange rate prevailing during the month of the survey. Care is needed in interpreting these figures because of differences
Minimum weekly rate Standard weekly hours £ England and Wales (Ordinary grade) … … … … 48.50 40 Scotland (General worker) … … … … 49.00 40* Northern Ireland (All workers) … … … … 48.50 40 * Annual average figure. Comparable rates in other member States are not readily available.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much (a) average earnings for agricultural workers and (b) average farm incomes have risen in each year since 1969.
30WNotes
1. The average earnings of agricultural workers used are those for male workers aged 20 and above in the year ending March 1979 i.e. with October 1978 as the mid-point.
2. Earnings figures for industrial workers relate to one pay week in October 1978 and are for manual men of 21 years and above in all industries covered by the survey. The survey excludes coal mining, British Rail, London Transport, the shipping service, the distributive trades, the catering trade, the entertainment industries, commerce and banking, and domestic service.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what are the current (a) average earnings and (b) basic wages for agricultural workers in each of the nine member States of the Community.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe most recent data from the statistical office of the European Community giving average earnings in agriculture on a comparable basis in the EEC member States relate to autumn 1977 and were as follows:
in the levels of national prices and fluctuations in exchange rates.
The current prescribed minimum rates for whole-time adult workers aged 20 years and above in the United Kingdom are as follows:
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe following table shows for England and Wales the annual change in average annual earnings of whole-time hired male agricultural workers between 1969 and 1978, and the 31W annual change in net income of farmer and spouse on full-time farms averaged over all types of farms (excluding horticulture) between 1971–72 and 1977–78:
AVERAGE TOTAL EARNING OF WHOLE-TIME HIRED MEN AGED 20 YEARS AND ABOVE* Calendar Change in average total earnings over previous year years £ per year Per cent. 1970 +67.08 +7 1971 +127.40 +13 1972 +135.72 +12 1973 +205.40 +17 1974 +358.80 +25 1975 +448.76 +25 1976 +382.20 +17 1977 +225.68 +9 1978 +361.92 +13
ENGLAND AND WALES; AVERAGE NET INCOME OF FARMER AND SPOUSE PER FULL-TIME FARM (EXCLUDING HORTICULTURE)† March-February Change in net farm income over previous year years £ per year Per cent. 1970–71 Figure not available on comparative basis 1971–72 1972–73 +1,177 +33 1973–74 +1,519 +31 1974–75 -585 -9 1975–76 +2,691 +46 1976–77 +543 +6 1977–78 -553 -5 1978–79 Not yet available * Source: Wages and employment inquiry. Average total earnings including payments in kind. † Farm management survey: Net income is the return to the farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and the return on their tenant-type assets; it excludes stock appreciation of breeding livestock. Interest on farm borrowings has not been charged. Changes have been prepared from two-year identical samples.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the gap in terms of cash, between the average earnings of agricultural workers and average industrial earnings in each year since 1969.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerDirectly comparable information is not available. A comparison of data for male workers aged 21 years and over from the Department of Employment's annual survey of manual workers in industry in the United Kingdom and data relating to male agricultural workers aged 20 years and over from the Ministry's wages and employment inquiry gives the following cash differences for the years requested:—32W
£ 1969 7.22 1970 8.81 1971 9.39 1972 11.49 1973 11.71 1974 12.12 1975 14.06 1976 15.39 1977 16.61 1978 19.65 Notes:
1. The average earnings of agricultural workers used are those for male workers aged 20 and above in the year ending March 1979 i.e. with October 1978 as the mid-point.
2. Earnings figures for industrial workers relate to one pay week in October 1978 and are for manual men of 21 years and above in all industries covered by the survey. The survey excludes coal mining, British Rail, London Transport, the shipping service, the distributive trades, the catering trade, the entertainment industries, commerce and banking, and domestic service.