§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the 10 per cent. increase in earnings of manual workers in manufacturing industry in the year to Q4 1983 is attributable to (a) longer hours worked, (b) a reduction in the basic working week, (c) increased hourly rates and (d) other factors.
§ Mr. GummerThe available information on the factors underlying the increase in average weekly earnings of manual workers in manufacturing industry is as follows.
The survey of manual workers' earnings and hours in October 1983 showed, for full-time male employees on adult rates, the following:
Percentage increase on a year earlier Per cent. Average weekly earnings 9.75 Average hourly earnings 8.00 The only official information on changes in basic wage rates relates to minimum rates established in national collective agreements. These showed an increase in weekly rates adjusted for changes in basic hours of about 5.5 per cent. in the year to October 1983, of which about 0.5 per cent. arose from a reduction in basic weekly hours. The increase in actual wage rates may be somewhat different from the increase in national minimum rates to the extent that individual firms pay above the national minimum rates.