HC Deb 07 April 1987 vol 114 cc153-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Paymaster General if, pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, columns 171–2, concerning the numbers of full-time and part-time workers, he will provide an estimate of the median and quartile earnings in each case, together with his forecast of the percentage increase from April 1986 in earnings in the financial year 1987–88.

Mr. Lee

The available information on the median and quartiles of earnings is published in table 19 of part A of the 1979 "New Earnings Survey" report and in table 34 of part B of the 1986 "New Earnings Survey" report. Copies of these reports are available in the Library.

The latest information from the average earnings index indicates that in the 12-month period ending in January 1987 the underlying earnings increase was 7.5 per cent. Forecasts are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

other benefits of investment, (e) in non-state pensions, annuities and similar payments, (f) in social security benefits including the remission of rent and rates through housing benefit, free prescriptions, and similar remissions or (g) in any other way; and how all these figures compare with the previous year's estimates.

Mr. Lee

Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the latest estimates of the nearest equivalent items which are available.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Paymaster General if, pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, columns 171–2, concerning the number of full-time and part-time workers, he will provide figures showing the number of males and females on full-time adult rates divided between manual and non-manual workers, together with their average, median and quartile earnings.

Mr. Lee

In April 1979 it was estimated that there were 1.6 million full-time manual adult female employees and 3.6 million full-time non-manual adult female employees. Comparable estimates for adult males are not available.

Estimates of the earnings in April 1979 of manual and non-manual adults are published in table 15 of part A of the 1979 "New Earnings Survey" report.

Estimates for April 1986 of the numbers and earnings of full-time manual and non-manual employees on adult rates are published in table 29 and 30 respectively of part B of the 1986 "New Earnings Survey" report.

Copies of these reports are available in the Library.