§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list at the latest available date (a) the actual number of male workers earning less than two thirds average male earnings and (b) the percentage of the male work force who are earning less than two thirds male average, by region; and what were the corresponding figures for May 1979.
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§ Mr. Peter BottomleyIt is estimated that in April 1984 about 2 million full-time adult male employees working a full week had gross weekly earnings of less than two-thirds of the corresponding national average. The corresponding figure in April 1979 was about 1.75 million. The following table sets out figures in percentage terms by region within Great Britain.
Percentage of full-time adult*male employees with gross weekly earnings of less than two-thirds the corresponding national average. April 1979 April 1984 South East 13 16 East Anglia 22 26 South West 23 25 West Midlands 14 22 East Midlands 17 25 Yorkshire and Humberside 17 24 North West 16 22 North 16 23 Wales 18 25 Scotland 18 23 Source: New earnings survey. * Aged 21 and over.