§ 27. Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the northern region are currently covered by wages councils orders.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythIt is estimated that some 140,000 workers, aged 21 or over, are covered by the wages councils in the wages inspectorate's northern division.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the number of employees covered by each wages council, indicating the proportion of women in each case.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 2 November 1992]: The estimated number of workers covered by each wages council in March 1992 is detailed in the table. Approximately two thirds of all wages council workers are women, but I regret that there are no estimates of the number of women covered by individual councils.
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Estimated number of workers covered by wages councils: March 1992 Wages council Workers Aerated Waters 4,400 Boot and Shoe Repairing 5,000 Button Manufacturing 1,000 Clothing Manufacturing 118,500 Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making 200 Cotton Waste Reclamation 300 Fur 800 Flax and Hemp 400 General Waste Materials Reclamation 13,000 Hairdressing Undertaking 69,000 Hat, Cap and Millinery 4,500 Lace Finishing 900 Laundry 24,500 Licensed Non-Residential Establishment 538,000 Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant 417,000 Linen and Cotton Handkerchief and Household Goods and Linen Piece Goods 2,800 Made-up Textiles 3,500 Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower 500 Perambulator and Invalid Carriage 2,000 Retail Bespoke Tailoring 4,000 Retail Food and Allied Trades 490,000 Retail Trades (Non-Food) 736,000 Rope Twine and Net 2,200 Sack and Bag 1,000 Toy Manufacturing 11,500
Wages council Workers Unlicensed Place of Refreshment 110,000 Total 2,561,000
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of wages inspectors to wages council establishments and employees covered by wages councils respectively in 1979 and each succeeding year.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 2 November 1992]: The information requested is in the table:
Year Ratio of wages inspectors to estimated number of wages council establishments Ratio of wages inspectors to estimated number of employees covered by wages councils 1979 1:2,471 1:17,618 1980 1:2,530 1:17,959 1981 1:3,399 1:23,791 1982 1:3,373 1:23,576 1983 1:3,330 1:23,576 1984 1:3,272 1:23,781 1985 1:3,136 1:22,790 1986 1:3,241 1:23,576 1987 1:5,195 1:33,868 1988 1:5,418 1:35,320 1989 1:5,746 1:37,460 1990 1:5,988 1:37,460 1991 1:6,125 1:38,037 19921 1:6,356 1:40,651 1 1992 Average number of Wages Inspectors to 30 September 1992.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present establishment of wages inspectors.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 2 November 1992]: The present complement of wages inspectors is 71 posts.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of employees covered by wages councils are estimated by her Department as being paid(a) less than the wages council pay rate, (b) at the wages council pay rate and (c) more than the wages council pay rate.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 2 November 1992]: Estimates, based on an analysis of employers' wage 203W records checked by the wages inspectorate, show that only 3 per cent. to 4 per cent. of workers are underpaid. Of the remainder, about one third are paid on, or only just above, the council minimum rate, with two thirds paid significantly above the minimum.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many wages inspectors are at present in post.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 2 November 1992]: There are 55 wages inspectors in post.