§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give, in league table form, with the highest at the top, agricultural wages in each of the European Community member states showing (a) the minimum rate and (b) the average earnings expressed in £ sterling and European units of account for the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mrs. FennerThe most recent data from the statistical office of the European Communities giving average earnings on a comparable basis in other European Community member states relate to autumn 1980 and are set out in the following table. Information is not available for Greece.
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Average hourly earnings of full time regular male workers in agriculture in 1980 Country £ Sterling based on market exchange rates ECU based on market exchange rates (1) (2) (3) Netherlands 2.63 4.59 Denmark 2.49 4.34 Germany 2.47 4.20 Belgium 2.34 4.09 United Kingdom 1.75 3.05 France 1.74 3.03 Italy 1.69 2.87 Luxembourg 1.57 2.66 Ireland 1.34 2.41 (a) Source: SOEC Wages and Incomes Statistical Bulletin 30/3/1982 Eurostat 1–1982
(b) This series of earnings excludes the value of payments in kind and bonuses not paid regularly.
(c) Column 2 represents sterling equivalent of national currency at average market exchange rates during the month of the survey.
(d) Column 3 represents ECU equivalent at average exchange rates during the month of the survey.
Details of minimum rates in agriculture throughout the European Community are not readily available.