asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers are estimated to be earning £40 per week or less on basic wages.

My Department's earnings surveys do not provide estimates of the numbers of employees with basic rates of particular amounts. The results of the new earnings survey indicate that in April 1978, amongst employees whose pay was not affected by absence, about 200,000 full-time men—aged 21 and over —and 900,000 full-time women—aged 18 and over—had gross weekly earnings excluding overtime of less than £40.