HC Deb 16 December 1982 vol 34 cc216-7W
Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list in the Official Report the percentage of national average earnings earned by (a) the lowest paid tenth of the male full-time work force at (i) the latest date for which figures are available and (ii) the corresponding month in 1979 and (b) the highest paid tenth of the male full-time work force at the same dates.

Mr. Alison

The following figures are derived from the new earnings survey.

Average gross weekly earnings of full.time males aged 21 and over whose pay was not affected by absence
All employees The 10 per cent of employees with the lowest earnings The 10 per cent, of employees with the highest earnings
£ £ As percentage of (1) £ As percentage of (1)
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
April 1982 154.5 76.5 50 310.3 201
April 1979 101.4 53.3 53 190.1 188

Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list in the Official Report the average weekly wage earned by (a) full-time adult male workers at the latest date for which figures are available, (b) full-time adult female workers at the same date, (c) full-time adult male workers in the poorest tenth of that work force and (d) full-time adult female workers in the poorest tenth of that work force.

Mr. Alison

The latest figures of average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult employees working a full week, distinguishing men and women, relate to April 1982 and were published in table 1 of part A of the 1982 new earnings survey report, a copy of which is available in the Library. The corresponding averages relating to the 10 per cent. of employees with the lowest earnings were £77 for men and £51 for women.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many adult men and women earn less than average earnings for a full week's work.

Mr. Alison

Just under 61 per cent. of full-time adult male and female employees had gross weekly earnings below the arithmetic average in April 1982 according to the new earnings survey. This would represent about 8.8 million full-time adult employees.