§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the average rates of pay for 16, 17 and 18-year-olds including those on Government training schemes, for the years 1979 and 1985, expressed at (a) 1979 prices, and (b) 1983 prices.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyEstimates of the earnings of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds are available from the "New Earnings Survey". This gives information for employees only and thus will only include those on Government training schemes who have employee status.
The table shows earnings for April 1979 and April 1984 (the latest date for which survey results are available) deflated using the retail price index.
Average weekly earnings of full-time employees whose pay was not affected by absence Great Britain April 1979 1984 Age at 1 January (a) (b) (a) (b) 1979 1983 1979 1983 prices prices prices prices £ £ £ £ 16 34.7 53.9 33.7 52.3 17 40.8 63.3 39.0 60.6 18 49.8 77.3 48.3 74.9