asked the Minister of Labour what has been the rate of issue of vouchers for Commonwealth immigrants curing each of the past 12 months; and at what rate he intends to issue during the next three months.

As the reply to the first part of the Question consists of a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The issue during July will be 870 to achieve the annual total of 8,500 announced in the White Paper of 2nd August, 1965, and in August and September approximately 640 and 800, respectively.

Can the figures be cut down still further, since so many dependants are coming in as a result of each voucher that is issued?

The position, I understand, is that the present rate of vouchers will be maintained.

Why have the Government abandoned their own White Paper and allowed nearly three times as many people to come into the country as the White Paper said they would?

I do not follow the hon. Member's question. The White Paper laid down a number of vouchers which would be issued, and these are being issued. It was made clear from the beginning that legitimate dependants would be allowed to come in. That is the position which the Government wish to retain.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that his Department is treating Commonwealth citizens less favourably than aliens in the matter of permission to work in entertainment in the United Kingdom; and if he will give instructions that such discrimination against Commonwealth citizens is to cease.

The systems of control over the immigration of aliens and Commonwealth citizens are not directly comparable, but in general the control exercised under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, is the more generous. I will, however, gladly look into any individual cases my right hon. Friend may have in mind.

Is my hon. Friend aware that Mr. Anthony Then, a Malaysian citizen, has been treated less favourably than if he were an alien? Would she get in touch with her right hon. Friend to see whether perhaps between the two Departments there has been some misunderstanding in this matter?

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing that case to my attention. If the position is as he suggests, we will certainly see what action we can take.

asked the Minister of Labour how many wage and salary settlements during 1965 were the results of negotiations which were initiated with no specific claim being made by the employees affected.

In the larger industries or negotiating units covering 10,000 or more workers I know of 187 settlements which became effective in 1965, of these 91 resulted from claims which were not expressed in specific terms.

Is it not rather disturbing news? Does it mean that in 91 cases claims were initiated without any specific figure? If that is so, how will the hon. Lady or her right hon. Friend know whether such claims fall within or outside the norm and whether they should be referred to the Prices and Incomes Board?

No, Sir. That is not correct. In most cases it is possible to make an estimate when the claim is first submitted. In most other cases the situation emerges as the claim progresses.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals he has to provide a regional breakdown of the detailed analysis of wage earnings collected in April and October each year.

Regional breakdowns of earnings of adult men by industry and by industry group are already regularly published.

Would not the Parliamentary Secretary agree that for regional planning it is necessary to have much greater detail in the regional figures than as yet exists? Will her right hon. Friend the Minister institute a procedure for collecting detailed figures?

The hon. Member will, I hope, be aware that these statistics have only recently been improved. For example, the details by industry are now published in alternate issues of the quarterly publication Statistics on Incomes, Prices, Employment and Production. In addition, the most recent inquiries are published together with the relevant article in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Are the Ministry of Labour regions exactly conterminous with the national regions? If not, what method of adjustment is used in the Ministry to ensure that the figures correspond?

There are two regions in which the Ministry of Labour's regions differ from the recently established regions, but we are bringing these into line as from early 1967.

asked the Minister of Labour how soon after the months of April and October, respectively, the detailed information on wage earnings is available to his Department; how soon it is published; and what steps are being taken to reduce these periods.

The information is available approximately three months after the end of April and October and provisional main results are released to the Press almost immediately; detailed results are published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette a month later. It is not possible to reduce these periods.

Does the hon. Lady agree that it is vital for the operation of the incomes policy to speed up this process so that we can study the movement of wage drift? Will she not make a more determined effort to get these figures more often and to make them available more quickly to the House? Secondly, what was the committee to which the hon. Lady referred in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins), on Question No. 5, which was satisfied with the statistics provided by the Ministry of Labour?

The committee was an official committee of the Departments concerned. In reply to the remainder of the hon. Member's supplementary question, which I regard as a very fair one, I would say that we have tried to do two things. One is to see whether interim reports would give an adequate reflection of the final results, but I regret to say that they do not. Secondly, we have tried to ascertain whether we could shorten the period. The hon. Member will, however, be aware that this is a voluntary inquiry, and in our experience it is the firms employing the largest numbers of employees which tend to respond later in the period given them to reply.

Would it not be better if all this concern about keeping down wages was devoted to keeping down overseas arms expenditure? Is it not the latter rather than the former which is primarily responsible for the deficit in our balance of payments?

asked the Minister of Labour if he now possesses sufficient information to determine the rates of wages actually paid by employers and the extent to which these differ from negotiated or statutory rates; and if he will make a statement.

I have comprehensive information about statutory and nationally negotiated rates of wages. If further information about rates paid is required in order to assess a claim, offer, or settlement, the organisation concerned is asked to provide it.

But is the hon. Lady aware that a Ministry of Labour publication last September stated that information was not available? In view of that, is it not remarkable complacency for her to come to the Box and say that the Department is satisfied with the comprehensive nature of statistics available to the Government?

Statistics, by their nature, have to deal with the broad position. The hon. Gentleman's Question is concerned with rates paid individually by firms. He will be aware that the early warning system will give an opportunity to follow up the details with further investigations.

Would not my hon. Friend agree that the amount of statistical material from her Department is much better and exceeds the amount of material given since 1964?

That is very accurate.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will compile figures of salary drift similar to those published for wages drift; and if he will publish those figures.

No, Sir. The determination of salaries, many of which are negotiated on an individual basis, does not permit the compilation of a salary rates index for comparison with the index of salary earnings.

Does not the hon. Lady agree that many of the increases are not negotiated on an individual basis and that it is not sufficient merely to have half the story, namely, information as to wages? It is necessary to have the other half of the story, namely, information about salaries, if there is to be an incomes policy.

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that there is an annual inquiry into salaries which covers 4 mil- lion out of the 7 million salaried employees in industry. The hon. Gentleman will also be aware that we make monthly inquiries from 8,000 firms in total, covering both salaried and non-salaried employees.

Is not the Minister aware that these problems would be easier of solution if employers were placed under an obligation collectively to negotiate terms and conditions of employment with their staff employees and recognised trade unions?

Is the hon. Lady aware that the state of the economy will not wait many more months? If the Government want to get things right, they will have to deal with salaries, wages and dividends at one go at fairly short notice.

The hon. Gentleman is speaking to the converted.

asked the Minister of Labour how he determines by what amount salaries increase on account of salaried posts being filled at increased payments and fringe benefits when vacancies have arisen.

It would be quite impossible to assess the total effect of any cases of this kind. This does not mean, however, that a particular case would not be examined if it was thought necessary.

Is it not true that the information coming to the Ministry about salaries is sadly deficient? The Ministry does not know about salary annual increases or about when men are taken on at the higher rate. In view of this, is it not impossible for the Government to establish an incomes policy for salary earners?

No, this is not correct. Both in terms of salary rates and in terms of salary earnings, the Ministry has a great deal of information. The point to which the hon. Gentleman has drawn attention in his Question is a difficult one, because a judgment has to be made as to whether this reflects greater responsibilities or whether it is simply a way to increase the salary being paid. However, I would point out to the hon. Gentleman that the Ministry is now undertaking a detailed inquiry into such things as the effect of fringe benefits on salaries and on other types of earnings, and this should throw still further light on the problem.

Is the hon. Lady aware that the House is very grateful to her for the brevity and courtesy with which she has dealt with almost 50 Questions?

What is the legal distinction between a salary and a wage? Will my hon. Friend be assured that the incomes policy would be more generally accepted if and when the Government's information on all incomes becomes more and more comprehensive?

I recognise the importance of making this information as comprehensive as possible. This afternoon I have given the House a number of details of ways in which we are trying to improve this information. The main difficulty is the individual settlement. I reassure my hon. Friend by telling him that an individual settlement can be referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes just as much as a collective settlement.

asked the Minister of Labour how many firms of labour-only subcontractors are now in existence; how many men they employ in total; and how they are to be classified for the purposes of the Selective Employment Tax.

No figures are available of the number of firms of labour-only subcontractors, nor of how many men they employ. Most firms of this kind are likely to fall under Order XXII (Professional and Scientific Services) or Order XXIII (Miscellaneous Services) of the Standard Industrial Classification and will receive neither premium payments nor refunds under the Selective Employment Tax scheme.

Ought not the hon. Lady's Department to know how many firms and how many people there are operating as labour-only subcontractors? Does it not make it extremely difficult to run the economy without this information? Does she not agree that the Selective Employment Tax is bound to encourage the development of this sort of thing?

I fully agree that this information should have been available a long time ago. The Government are at present undertaking a number of inquiries to try to establish this incidence. In answer to the second part of the question, the Government will, of course, keep very close watch on this development and the effect of S.E.T. on this group.

Does not the hon. Lady agree that it would have been wiser to await the information before introducing the tax? Would she not agree that an increase in the direct labour subcontracting force is against Government policy? Why introduce a tax which is bound to have the effect of increasing it?

I fully agree that the Government are anxious to limit the amount of labour-only subcontracting. I do not accept the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Labour how he will interpret the confirmation of wages council orders, in view of his increased responsibilities for the incomes policy; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Labour if he proposes to remit for further consideration wages council orders that are not consistent with the Government's prices and incomes policy.

Proposals from a wages council are considered in accordance with the duties and powers of the Minister of Labour under Section 11(4) of the Wages Councils Act. These require the Minister on receiving proposals to give them legal effect unless in his opinion it is necessary to refer them back to the council for reconsideration. He cannot amend or reject them. Each case is considered on its merits and taking into account the prices and incomes policy.

Would not the hon. Lady agree that all industries covered by these orders are likely to bring in increases equal to or above the norm? Can she envisage any circumstances in which it is likely that it will be below the norm?

In answer to the first part of the question, yes, normally, because by definition wages councils are in industries where there is no collective bargaining and, consequently, wages tend to fall well below the average level of earning; in the country. When efficient collective bargaining is established it is usual for the wages councils to be lifted.

Am I to understand that if a wages council order is not in accordance with Government policy the Minister can do nothing about it?

Under the Act as it stands he can refer it back, but if the council decides to confirm it there is nothing he can do.

Will the Minister in fact use his power to refer back, or are we to take it from what happened in the road haulage case that he will never have the guts to refer back a wages council recommendation even when by his own admission he is worried by its impact on the Government's Prices and Incomes policy?

The right hon. Gentleman will know that there have been references back. He will also be aware, however, that most of these trades are such that they subscribe to the condition of the Prices and Incomes White Paper which covers very lowly-paid trades.

asked the Minister of Labour what statistics he proposes to provide so that the effectiveness of the Government's incomes policy can be appraised.

The Ministry already publishes a large number of relevant statistics, including statistics on wage rates, wage earnings, salary earnings and prices. The Central Statistical Office publishes estimates of the total wage and salary bill, profits, income from rent and self-employment, and the level of production.

Does the hon. Lady agree that the statistics which are at present provided are quite inadequate to appraise the Government's incomes policy? Would she also agree that the relevant figures are for earnings and not wage rates? Should we not be provided with figures for wage drift? What action is the hon. Lady taking to provide these figures so that we may have an idea of the real effect of the Government's incomes policy?

The hon. Member will be aware, as a result of the expanded publication in the Ministry of Labour Gazette, that a number of statistics have been improved; and this improvement is still further in hand. Only recently an official committee of the Departments concerned concluded that by and large the statistics were adequate for the purpose.

Is there not a great weakness concerning the salary position? Is it not true that the Minister does not have a clue about what is happening with salaries?

That arises on a later Question and I will take it then.

asked the Minister of Labour what discussions he has held with employers and unions following the publication of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on Pay and Conditions of Busmen.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement on his recent talks with officials of the Transport and General Workers' Union and the Federation of Municipal Passenger Transport Employers on the pay of provincial busmen.

My right hon. Friend has had meetings with representatives of both sides of the two joint councils which represent the municipal undertakings and the company buses and commended the Report of the National Board for their consideration. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the statements issued after each meeting. I am having a further meeting with representatives of the National Joint Council for the Omnibus Industry which represents the company buses on 13th July.

Will the hon. Lady give an assurance that if the pay increase of 6·6 per cent. envisaged in the Report is granted she will ensure that the productivity improvements which also were stated in the Report are obtained?

I cannot give the hon. Member that assurance at this stage because, as he will know, negotiations are still continuing. I would, however, like to point out to him that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has in hand the national programme for improving productivity, which was suggested by the Report of the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

asked the Minister of Labour what assurances he received from the Transport and General Workers' Union that they would implement the recommendations of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on Pay and Conditions of Busmen.

In his meetings with representatives of both sides of the national joint councils which cover municipal and company operations, my right hon. Friend received assurances that consideration would be given to the Board's Report, which he commended to them, during the current negotiations.

Is the hon. Lady aware that assurances were also given that the Phelps Brown recommendations would be implemented, but that very little has been done? Is she convinced that anything will be done to implement paragraph 120 of the Report of the Prices and Incomes Board? If not, what steps will be taken to make sure that this is carried out?

At the moment that is a hypothetical question. I would, however, point to a number of other industries in which trade unions and employers are fully co-operating to try to improve efficiency in those industries.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the estimated number of municipal and company undertakings, excluding London Transport, who negotiate pay and conditions for busmen.

In the municipal sector, 92 of the 95 municipal undertakings are parties to the agreements of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Passenger Transport Industry.

I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for that answer, but can she say how many of the firms she has listed, in both the municipal and the company sectors, have, since the publication of Report 16 by the Prices and Incomes Board on bus wages, reached a settlement in excess of the increase of 3–3½ per cent. recommended in the Report, and how many have reached a settlement lower than that percentage? If the hon. Lady does not have that information, what steps is she taking to secure it, and will it be published when available?

If the hon. Member will put a Question on the Order Paper, I will give him that information. I am afraid that I do not have it at present. Three municipalities are not tied by the agreement—Birmingham, Reading and Rochdale.

asked the Minister of Labour by what means he is informed of the various improvements in manpower use referred to in paragraph 120 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report on Pay and Conditions of Busmen.

Through the national joint councils concerned, with whom we are in close touch.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that the enormous number of variations and permutations of what is called in the Report of the Prices and Incomes Board "improving the use of manpower" can be built into a coherent and systematic measure of improved productivity which can be fairly applied in the sweeping way recommended for wage settlements in the Report?

The National Board for Prices and Incomes Report suggested that these should be handled partly locally and that we should be kept in touch through national joint councils. I think that we should give an opportunity for that recommendation to work in that field.

asked the Minister of Labour how many skilled workers formerly employed in the British aviation industry are now known to have been engaged by the firm of Comprehensive Designers, Incorporated.

This firm's British subsidiary informs me that it employs just over 400 skilled British workers, most of them with previous experience in the aircraft industry. I have no information about employment by Comprehensive Designers, Incorporated outside this country.

Is the hon. Lady aware that this considerable number of men is increasing, that they have been forced out of the British aircraft industry, as a result of the Government's policy, and that they no longer contribute to British technology? Is she proud of this state of affairs?

The hon. Member is addressing his question to the wrong person, since many of my own constituents were pushed out of the aircraft industry under his own Government. The question is not without its other effects. In answer to the relevant part of the hon. Member's question, I would reply that this firm at present undertakes work entirely for an American company and, therefore, has a favourable effect upon the earnings balance of the country. I would further point out that the bulk of its recruitment is done privately and that in a free market we have no power to prevent this happening.

asked the Minister of Labour when the Royal Commission on Trades Unions and Employers' Organisations will make its Report.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects the Royal Commission on Trade Unions to report.

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21st June to the hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison).

Is it not a disaster that this valuable Royal Commission should be filibustered away by the trade unions refusing to give their official evidence? Has the hon. Lady any idea when we may expect this evidence? Will she undertake that legislation will proceed, because we cannot afford to wait to reform the trade unions until the Report may be received?

The hon. Member will he aware that the Royal Commission, which we also regard as important, was established only during the time of the present Government. In answer to the rest of his Question, I would point out that a great many trade unions have given evidence, but some evidence is admittedly still awaited. The hon. Member will, however, be aware that a number of surveys have been put in hand by the Commission, but reports on them have not yet been made.

Does not the hon. Lady think that, in the present situation, if the Commission is allowed to go on for another period of months, or it may be a year or two, it will be fiddling while the economy burns?

The hon. Member will be aware that in our view it is more important to get a thorough and careful report which is factually accurate than to get one which is pushed forward for reasons of public pressure.

Did the Minister ask for an interim report, and, if so, what reply did the Commission give him; or has the Commission asked the Minister whether he would like an interim report, and, if so, what reply did he give?

The Commission pointed out with regard to an interim report that there were a number of interrelated problems which would make it difficult to produce an interim report.

The hon. Lady has not answered my question. Did the Commission ask whether the Minister wanted an interim report? If so, what reply did he give? Or was the Commission's observation to which the hon. Lady has referred in reply to a request from the Minister, and, if so, what reply did the Commission give?

The former part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question is correct.

rose—

Next Question.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible opportunity.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will arrange to publish in this country statistics concerning the retail prices of individual foods such as are already made available by his Department to the International Labour Organisation.

The average prices made available to the International Labour Office in respect of mid-October of each year are based on a relatively small number of quotations in seven large towns. They are considered to be satisfactory for the purpose of making rough comparisons between prices in different countries, but are not sufficiently precise for publication as average prices applicable to the United Kingdom as a whole. My right hon. Friend proposes to consider the possibility of producing for publication average prices which would be more representative.

May I thank my hon. Friend for that reply and express the hope that her right hon. Friend will publish these statistics very soon? They will be extremely useful.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers have their wages and/or salaries tied to the cost of living, and in what industries; since prices are increasing faster than production, if he will take steps to end the position which enables one group of workers to benefit at the expense of others; and if he will make a statement.

About 2 million manual workers. The principal industries are construction, iron and steel manufacture, printing, furniture manufacture, footwear manufacture and hosiery. The White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy issued in April 1965 stated that less weight should be given to this factor in future in the determination of pay. An agreement reached in November 1965 in the building and civil engineering industries provided for discontinuance of the present cost of living agreements after February 1968.

Having regard to the fact that since October 1964 national productivity has increased by only 1 per cent. and the cost of living has gone up by nearly 10 per cent.—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—I am stating the case—is it not grossly unfair that 2 million workers should get this advantage over other workers, and will the hon. Lady try to see that this inflationary factor is taken out of the economy?

We do not wish people to suffer as a result of an increase in the cost of living, and earnings have kept ahead of increases in the cost of living; but as a proportion of the total wages bill increases over many years, dating back to the 1956 cost of living agreements have been only a very small part of this total, and, as I have already pointed out, in one very large industry they have now been abandoned.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in every case of strikes or threatened strikes, official or unofficial, notified to his Department, he will have published the average gross wages normally earned by those involved in the dispute; and if he will make a statement.

No, Sir.

Would it not be fairer to the general public to give these gross earnings in every case so that the public can more adequately and fairly judge the merits of a strike and whether or not the demand should be met?

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman would not want to give a distorted impression, and it would be very difficult for us to give anything else. Because of differences in occupations, levels of skills and so forth, almost any average we might make for such purposes would tend to be meaningless and open to distortion.

Is the hon. Lady aware that as these returns of strikes are often done through trade associations, many firms who pride themselves oft good labour relations do not give any notice and, therefore, the published figures are distorted?

I am afraid that, again, in a voluntary system we must depend on which employers are prepared to report and which are not. I am sure that the hon. Member would be the last to want to make such reports compulsory.

Would my hon. Friend agree that in cases of threatened strikes, or of strikes that are breaking out, or official or unofficial strikes, she should publish the rates of dividends earned by the particular industry?

I think that that is a fair point. I am sure that if we did one we should do the other.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress there has been in the negotiations started Fast March by Her Majestys' Government with the railwaymen; and if he will make a statement.

There was a meeting between representatives of the British Railways Board and the unions concerned under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend on 10th May, and since then there have been meetings on 2nd June and 1st July under the chairmanship of an official of the Ministry. These have discussed pay and grade structure, measures to increase productivity and efficiency, and the machinery of negotiation and consultation within the industry. Further meetings have been arranged for this month and next.

Has any progress been made?

Yes, indeed. I am glad to say that a detailed review of pay and wage structures has already been put in hand, machinery for negotiation and consultation is under consideration, and progress has proved highly satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the response of the nationalised transport undertakings to his Parliamentary Secretary's letter drawing their attention to his policy on sex discrimination in sick pay schemes.

The British Railways Board has already replied noting the views expressed in the letter and informing me that they will be borne in mind in future discussions with the trade unions about the terms of sick pay arrangements.

Is my hon. Friend aware that many on this side of the Chamber regard it as quite deplorable that this sort of discrimination should be practised by nationalised transport industries? Will she undertake to convey this sentiment to her right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport with a view to appropriate action being taken?

My hon. Friend may like to know that in my letter I made clear those sentiments to the chairmen of the nationalised transport boards responsible, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has also been informed of this letter being sent. I would add that this is a matter that has to be negotiated between both sides. Although we have brought this to the attention of the boards recently, sickness pay negotiations date from as late as last year.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce legislation to provide for compulsory safety committees at places of work, which will include employees' representation.

My right hon. Friend believes that joint consultative machinery on safety which is set up by voluntary means is preferable to machinery established under compulsion. Progress in the past, however, has been extremely disappointing. He has, therefore, decided that, unless there is satisfactory progress over the next few years in the setting up of joint works safety committees on a voluntary basis, he will feel obliged, when the next major revision of the Factories Act takes place, to seek power to require the establishment of machinery for joint consultation in appropriate cases. He very much hopes that progress will be such as to make legislation unnecessary.

Is my hon. Friend aware that in 1927, when this measure was proposed, employers' associations asked for the voluntary system to be given another chance, that that chance was given, but that in the ensuing 38 years accident figures have risen from 148.000 to 269,000 a year?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his lesson from history, and also for his great interest in the subject. We shall certainly bear that lesson very much in mind.

While we all want to see more safety committees set up, is it not true to say that there are more people at work today than there were 30 years ago?

There are, indeed, but I think the hon. Member will agree that in certain industries the accident rate has increased to an extent that is rather disturbing. It may be partly the effect of modern technology.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell us when the review of the Factories Act, 1961, is to take place, and can she promise that there will not be any delay in having this review?

Generally speaking, reviews of the Factories Acts tend to take place at 10-year intervals, but we shall certainly bear in mind the need to make changes at the earliest practicable date.

asked the Minister of Labour how waste paper processors and merchants are classified with reference to the Selective Employment Tax.

In the Standard Industrial Classification waste paper merchants are classified to Heading 832.6 of Order XX. Makers of paper and paper board who process waste paper are classified to Heading 481 of Order XV.

Would not the hon. Lady agree that waste paper processors are not dealers or merchants but are processing raw material into a form which can be used in our own industry and can be exported? Is it not a pity that they should have been taxed?

The difficulty is, as the hon. Gentleman will be aware, that the tax must be very clear in its classifications, and I think that it would be very difficult to admit waste paper processing to the manufacturing category. The S.I.C. does not do this. The work done by this industry is very useful from the point of view of the economy.

It is not "manufacture" in any sense of the word to' take this raw material, process it and sell it? Would the hon. Lady receive favourably an Amendment to the Selective Employment Payments Bill to get this in the right category?

The manufacturer of paper is so classified because he goes beyond simply processing waste paper. This is the distinction. But I am sure that it is open to the hon. and learned Gentleman to put down an Amendment to the Bill on this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour what surveys have been undertaken by his Department into the problem of the low wage earners.

Some information about low wage earners is available from the Ministry's annual Family Expenditure Survey. The survey is being expanded in order to cover a larger number of households and this will improve the information.

Is it not a fact that there are 200,000 or 300,000 families in which the father earns less than he would receive if he were on National Assistance? Is my hon. Friend aware that many of us who support the incomes policy believe one of the most essential needs of such a policy is to help those people penalised by very low wages?

I assure my hon. Friend: hat the Government are concerned about this group of workers. It is basically a question of how best to deal with the position in which they find themselves. The number of adult men with gross earnings of less than £10 a week has fallen by half in the last year—from 400,000 to 200,000. Although this is not good enough, it is a move in the right direction.

Is the hon. Lady aware that under the Government's incomes policy there is evidence that this group of people has had smaller rises in earnings than the better-off people in the community? What sort of incomes policy is that?

I find that an extraordinary supplementary question in view of the earlier questions raised about the wages councils which exist—[Interruption.] To be fair, the hon. Gentleman did not raise it, but many hon. Members on his side of the House were pressing us very hard. The wages councils are the best safeguard we have for the lower-paid workers.

Does not my hon. Friend feel that it is high time that we had a national minimum wage?

That is another question. If my hon. Friend would put down a Question I would be glad to deal with it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many industrial disputes took place between 1960 and 1965 due to the refusal of management to recognise trade unions for negotiation, consultation and other purposes.

Ninety-eight, less than 1 per cent. of all stoppages.

Is my hon. Friend aware that to get a successful incomes policy off the ground the elementary human right of trade union recognition by employers must be accepted throughout industry? Will she consider introducing as a compulsory measure the need for this in forthcoming legislation?

My hon. Friend may like to know that whenever a dispute arises from non-recognition of a trade union our officers go into the situation and see the employer. However, as my hon. Friend correctly states, there is at present no law under which they can enforce recognition. This is one of the matters before the Royal Commission. A good deal of evidence has been given on this matter, including evidence by the Ministry of Labour.

When management refuses to recognise trade unions, what is the Minister prepared to do about it?

I think that I dealt with that in my last reply. We send in our industrial relations officers immediately this situation is brought to our attention.

The hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Dickens) referred to the necessity of getting the prices and incomes policy off the ground. Is it not necessary to get it recognised first by the trade unions themselves?

The position with regard to the trade unions is clear. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Some of them are in favour and some of them are not in favour; we may as well be frank about it. Even though there may be few disputes with regard to non-recognition of a trade union, they tend to add to the time lost through strikes. This is a matter about which the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) and many of his colleagues are concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will initiate discussions with the authorities in the public sector with a view to ending the distinctions in the conditions of employment for manual and non-manual employees.

There has been some progress in eliminating such distinctions in the public sector of employment. The advantages of staff status schemes are widely appreciated, but I think further progress can be best made in the context of negotiations about pay and conditions.

Is my hon. Friend aware that her reply is, on the whole, very disappointing? The need is for a new Government initiative to break down this apartheid in industry. This completely unfair discrimination between manual workers and staff employees is entirely unacceptable to many of us on this side of the House.

I would again repeat that my Ministry is very much in favour of this kind of thing, but my hon. Friend must recognise that we need to leave a certain amount of freedom about priorities to those engaged in collective bargaining.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will extend Minimum List Heading 381 of the Standard Industrial Classification, motor vehicle manufacturing, to cover the modifying or repairing of items referred to therein and thus bring this heading into line with No. 383 which covers the repairing of aircraft and aero-engines as well as their manufacture.

No, Sir.

But is not this one of the absurd anomalies of the Selective Employment Tax—that if the hon. Lady were engaged in repairing aeroplanes her employer would get a premium, but that if she were engaged in repairing motor cars her employer would have to pay 12s. 6d. a week?

If repairs are undertaken by manufacturing establishments, the repairing activities are classified as manufacturing, but if they are undertaken largely by retail outlets, or outlets concerned entirely with repair, they are not so classified. Motor repairs come largely within the second group of establishments.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement with regard to the setting up of industrial training boards for commerce.

Certain commercial activities have already been brought within scope of existing boards and my right hon. Friend has it in mind to set up boards for the main sectors of commerce after consultation with the interested parties. Discussions are expected to start about the end of this year.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is she aware of the concern which exists among teachers in further education that certain industries in this sphere might be taking all this training upon themselves, that this will lead to too much specialisation, will make mobility of labour in future difficult and affect future retraining? Will she consider making the Ordinary National Certificate in Business Studies a required basis for all commercial education?

The Central Training Council's Commercial and Clerical Committee is concerned with trying to coordinate all activities in commercial and clerical training as between different industries. The latter part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question raises a new point. Perhaps he would be kind enough to put down a Question to the relevant Department on that matter.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of the percentage of Scotland's population engaged in gainful employment which will be unable to obtain any refund of the selective employment tax; and how this compares with the percentage in England and Wales.

It is not possible to make precise estimates of this kind, but it is thought that the proportion in Scotland will be approximately the same as in England and Wales, namely, about 35 per cent. of the total working population.

Is it not rather alarming that the Government have introduced this new tax without precise information? Does not the hon. Lady agree that in the Highlands, where more than 80 per cent. of employees are employed in service industries, this tax will cause a great deal of damage?

In answer to the first part of the question, the only reason why I cannot give absolutely precise figures is simply that the Bill has not yet passed through the House and we do not know how it will be amended. In answer to the second part of the question, I point out that the Government's many regional policies are devoted to trying to assist area like the Highlands. The effects of the Selective Employment Tax will be taken into account, together with the effects of the other regional policies.

Does not the hon. Lady think it is unfortunate that one item of Government policy—the Selective Employment Tax—would appear to be cutting across the development area policy of other Government Departments?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman would be kind enough to await the discussion on the Amendment to the Bill when it arises?

Is my hon. Friend aware that it would be very helpful to industry In Scotland if she would break up the figures with regard to the different areas in Scotland, particularly in the North-East as contrasted with the South-West, where the industries differ to some extent?

I will bear my hon. and learned Friend's point in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of employees and their grades who were recently dismissed by the Parkgate Steel Works; and how many have registered at the Mexborough Employment Exchange.

Most of the 125 workers discharged on 23rd May were in clerical grades, but 2 laboratory technicians, 1 metallurgist and 1 works study engineer were also affected. Five of them registered for other employment at the Mexborough Employment Exchange and all of these are now in other jobs.

Does my hon. Friend realise that jobs are scarce within reasonable travelling distance for many of these people who have lost their jobs and that many of them are resident in my con- stituency? Will my hon. Friend look into this matter so that employment of a suitable nature can be provided?

Yes, we are aware of that. Therefore, I thought that my hon. Friend might be interested to know the figures for other employment exchanges. There are 44 people registered at Rotherham and one man at Maltby. Of these, all but four men and one woman are now employed.

What are the reasons for these dismissals? Is not one of the factors the substantial financial losses being made by this privately-owned steel plant?

As far as the Ministry is aware, the main reason is the falling off in orders, which may be due to a number of factors.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has now received an assurance that the rubber in Japanese tyres imported into this country has not been compounded with carcinogenic antioxidants.

We have received an assurance through the Japanese Embassy that the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers' Association, which represents all Japanese tyre manufacturers, has decided that none of the known carcinogens will be used in future.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does she realise that it was last September when Questions were first asked about these tyres, 1 million of which were due to be imported into this country in the following twelve months? If any action had had to be taken, the information would have come too late to be effective. Could she look at the machinery for obtaining information on possibly hazardous substances to ensure that such delays do not occur again?

We are certainly grateful to my hon. Friend for her persistence in raising this topic. She might be interested to know that we are at present considering a draft Order in Council which will ban not only the import of carcinogenic substances themselves but all manufactured goods containing such substances.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken to ensure that all qualified teachers who have applied for entry into this country are able to come in at the earliest opportunity.

Commonwealth citizens wishing to teach in the United Kingdom require vouchers. These are issued as quickly as possible after it has been established that the applicants are eligible for the status of qualified teacher in this country.

Once it is known that applicants are qualified, and as there is a great shortage of qualified teachers in this country, is it not indefensible to hold up their entry?

The general machinery is that we consult the Department of Education and Science about qualifications. The delay between that and the issue of a voucher is normally not more than three months. If the hon. Gentleman has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will bring it to my attention.

I understand that the hon. Lady's Answer was confined to qualified teachers from the Commonwealth. What is the situation as regards non-Commonwealth citizens who may be qualified to teach and who desire to do so in this country?

If they are qualified to teach, they are obliged to fill in an application form for entry, and, if it is accepted, they are then given a certificate of appointment. The numbers are not very large.