Earnings

HC Deb 14 October 1996 vol 282 cc699-700W

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on inflation curbs of the trends in earnings of(a) blue collar and (b) white collar workers. [40212]

Mrs. Angela Knight

Statistical data do not generally refer to employment as either blue or white collar work. Instead, this distinction is usually made with reference to manual or non-manual work. Data from the 1996 "New Earnings Survey" is given below for manual and non-manual workers. This survey covers a random 1 per cent. of all employees and, because of its sample size, is the most reliable official source of detailed information on earnings.

1995–96	Earnings growth	Percentage of all employees
Manual	4.2	35.1
Non-Manual	4.2	64.9

If we make the stylised assumption that employment costs comprise two thirds of final output costs, this suggests that growth in manual workers' earnings contributed approximately one percentage point to retail costs, while earnings growth of non-manual workers contributed about 1.8 percentage points.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of changes in the real earnings of blue collar workers since 1979 on the competitive position of UK manufacturers in home and overseas markets. [40214]

Mrs. Knight

Since 1979, strong productivity performance and affordable real wage growth have helped enhance the competitive position of UK manufacturers. Relative unit labour costs in the UK manufacturing sector improved by around 10 per cent. between 1979 and 1995.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the real terms change in the earnings of(a) postal workers and (b) white collar workers since 1979. [40213]

Mrs. Knight

Average gross earnings for postal workers and non-manual workers are shown in tables 1 and X3 of the "New Earnings Survey Report" each April from 1979 to date. Prior to 1984, male and female earnings were shown separately in tables 8 and 9. This report is available in the House of Commons Library. Real terms changes can be calculated using the retail prices index for April of each year.