§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (i) men and (ii) women, between the ages of(a) 16 to 24 years, (b) 25 to 49 years and (c) 50 to 64 years are employed but earn less than the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions; and what proportion such people make of the total working population of each sex in each age group. [16616]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightInformation from the labour force survey of spring 1995 is shown in the table:
LFS—Spring 1995 (GB) Age Employees1 earning less than £58 per week (thousands) Percentage of total age group Males 16-24 312.5 17.8 25-9 73.9 1.0 50-64 47.6 2.3 Females 16-24 423.0 25.1 25-49 1,017.4 15.4 50-64 390.3 20.3 1 Earnings information is not available for the self employed.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 13 February,Official Report, column 537, regarding wages council rates, what were the average wages per hour and per week in each of these industries; what is the national average wage referred to per week; what date the figures relate to; and how many employees were receiving these minimum hourly rates in each industry and in total. [16346]
355W
§ Mrs. Knight[holding answer 22 February 1996]: The average wages referred to by my hon. Friend in his reply of 13 February were calculated from information taken from the new earnings survey of April 1993. The national wage referred to the average gross hourly earnings, excluding overtime, of all full-time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. This was equal to £7.82 in April 1993. The equivalent average weekly wage was £316.90. Further information from the new earnings survey is provided in the attached table.