§ 64. Mr. CranTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with trade union leaders regarding wage increases.
§ Mr. NichollsMy right hon. Friend has had none. Pay is primarily a matter for employers and employees, or their representatives, to determine in the light of their own circumstances.
§ 93. Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of wage increases; what was the figure for the same month in 1988; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in relation to the level of wage increases.
§ Mr. NichollsLatest available figures show that the underlying increase in average earnings in the 12 months to October 1988 was 9 per cent. over the economy as a whole. This compares with 8 per cent. in the 12 months to October 1987. The average earnings index reflects all movements in pay, including those related to output and productivity, as well as basic pay settlements.
The Department's approach to pay is set out in chapter 3 of the White Paper "Employment in the 1990s", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the information on establishments underpaying and prosecutions for underpayment given in his answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 431–32.
§ Mr. NichollsThe information given in my answer of 2 December was incorrect in that, for the years 1979 and 1982, it included prosecutions which were not for underpayment offences. Revised figures, with those for 1988 updated to include the whole of that year, are given in the following table.
181W
Establishments underpaying Prosecutions1 1979 10,969 9 1980 12,154 8 1981 10,074 8 1982 9,269 4 1983 9,842 2 1984 9,461 2 1985 9,064 2 1986 8,205 2 1987 4,443 4 1988 25,597 10 1 For failing to pay not less than the legal minimum
2 Provisional