HC Deb 22 July 1985 vol 83 cc368-9W
Mr. Nellist

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what precise date Her Majesty's Government intends to deratify International Labour Organisation convention no. 26.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Her Majesty's Government intends to communicate the instrument of denunciation to the Director General of the International Labour Office for registration on 25 July 1985. The denunciation will become effective one year after it is registered.

Mr. Nellist

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those countries which are presently signatories to the International Labour Organisation convention no. 26; and if he will indicate which, other than the United Kingdom, is considering de-ratification.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

I will write to the hon. Member with a list of the 97 countries out of a total of 151 member states of the International Labour Organisation who have ratified convention no. 26 and will place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Since no advance notice of denunciation of international labour conventions has to be given it is not possible to say whether other member states are considering de-ratification of convention no. 26.

Mr. Nellist

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the minimum wage rates of those Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries who are also signatories to the International Labour Organisation convention no. 26.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Details on the level of minimum wage rates in the European countries are given in an article inEuropean Industrial Relations Review, No. 119, December 1983, pages 16 to 21. The International Labour Office report "Minimum Wage Fixing" by Gerald Starr, provides details for all countries in appendix 1, and more recent information for some countries is given in "Policies against low pay, an international perspective", published by the Policy Studies Institute (1984). These publications are available in the Library.