§ Mr. Leightonasked the Paymaster General what is the average earnings in the hotel and catering industry; and how this compares with the average for all other sectors of the economy.
§ Mr. TrippierThe latest available information on average weekly earnings is that for April 1985 and relates212W to full-time adult employees working a full week. Information on the average earnings in the hotel and catering industry and all other sectors of the economy is published in table X2 of the report, "New Earnings Survey 1985", part B, a copy of which is available in the Library.
§ Mr. Leightonasked the Paymaster General what proportion of hotel and restaurant employers visited by the Wages Inspectorate were underpaying workers during the past year; what was the average pay for waitresses during the past year; and what was the average pay for female kitchen staff last year.
§ Mr. TrippierNo estimates of the proportion of employers paying workers less than the wages councils' minimum rates have been made. However, Wages Inspectorate statistics for 1985 show that 37.3 per cent. of establishments covered by the Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant Wages Council which were visited by wages inspectors were found to have underpaid one or more workers. This figure is not representative of all establishments covered by wages councils because the Wages Inspectorate tends to concentrate on the firms more likely to be underpaying.
The latest available information on gross average earnings for waitresses and female kitchen staff is that for April 1985 and is published in table 9 of part A of "New Earnings Survey 1985", a copy of which is available in the Library.