HC Deb 05 March 1990 vol 168 cc509-10W
Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to seek to amend the equal pay for work of equal value legislation.

Mr. Nicholls

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to amend the equal pay legislation. The Equal Opportunities Commission, which has a statutory duty to review the legislation, is currently doing so and any proposals for change which may emerge from the commission's review will be carefully considered, as will proposals put forward by any other interested bodies including those already made by the Confederation of British Industry.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list for each of the past 25 years the average pay for a woman as a proportion of that for a man.

Mr. Nicholls

Women's hourly earnings as a proportion of men's are shown in the table. Comparable data are not available before 1970 or in the period 1971 to 1973.

per cent.
1970 63.1
1974 67.4
1975 72.1
1976 75.1
1977 75.5
1978 73.9
1979 73.0
1980 73.5
1981 74.8
1982 73.9
1983 74.2
1984 73.5
1985 74.1
1986 74.3
1987 73.6
1988 75.1
1989 76.4

Note: Based on average gross hourly earnings, excluding overtime, of full-time employees aged 18 and over, whose pay was not affected by absence, as at April of each year.

Source: New Earnings Survey.