§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the figures shown in appendices VI and VII of Government economic service working paper No. 52 on wages and employment in agriculture.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe information requested is shown in the following tables:
Table 1 Average and standard weekly hours of hired regular whole time men 1981–84 England and Wales Average basic hours Average overtime hours* Average total hours Standard weekly hours 1981 39.7 7.1 46.8 40 1982 39.7 6.9 46.6 40 1983 39.7 7.4 47.1 40 1984 39.7 6.8 46.6 40 * From 1981 onwards the Wages and Employment Enquiry has not separately identified contractual and non-contractual overtime hours. Source: Wages and employment inquiry.
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Table 2 Average weekly wages and earnings of hired regular whole-time men*1980–84 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 England and Wales Statutory minimum wage at June 58.00 64.00 70.40 ●75.40 ▀82.80 Prescribed wage† 70.82 79.81 87.39 96.75 101.72 Total earnings excluding payments in kind 84.91 94.76 104.01 115.29 121.40 Total earnings with payments in kind at AWB values 86.48 97.07 106.65 117.93 124.16 Total earnings with payments in kind at 'Market' values‡ 89.73 102.06 112.77 124.12 130.53 Cost of employment with payments in kind at AWB values║ 98.62 108.67 118.56 129.71 135.92 Cost of employment with payments in kind valued at opportunity cost║¶ 101.64 115.29 126.69 137.94 144.36 United Kingdom Retail price index January 1974=100 263.7 295.0 320.4 335.1 351.8 United Kingdom all agricultural products price index 1980=100⋆ 100.0 110.9 119.6 125.8 π125.9 * This series relates to the Statutory Minimum for "ordinary" hired regular whole-time men. † This is the annual average Statutory Minimum weekly wage (for "ordinary" hired regular whole-time men from 1972) plus the corresponding Statutory Minimum overtime rate multiplied by the difference between the annual average total weekly hours worked and the standard working week. It is thus different from that presented in the WEE reports. ‡ The value of milk received as payment in kind has been revalued at the maximum retail price in England and Wales. The value of houses received as payment in kind has been revalued at the average Council house rent charged by District Councils in rural areas of England and Wales. Other payments in kind are either at AWB values or as recorded in the Wages and Employment Enquiry. ║ Apart from wages and payments in kind, costs of employment are restricted to the employer's share of National Insurance contributions and employer's liability insurance.
¶ The value of milk supplied as payment in kind has been revalued at the average price paid to milk producers by the England and Wales Milk Marketing board. The value of houses supplied as payment in kind has been revalued at the average Council house rent charged by District Councils in rural areas on England and Wales. Other payments in kind are either at AWB values or as recorded in the Wages and Employment enquiry.
● In 1983 there were two wage awards. On 1 September, the Statutory Minimum wage rose from £75.40 to £79.20 per week.
▀ With effect from 3 June 1984.
⋆ This series has been rebased using 1980=100.
π Provisional.