Oral Answers to Questions — Employment – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 7 Rhagfyr 1964.
Mr Evelyn King
, South Dorset
12:00,
7 Rhagfyr 1964
asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the minimum weekly wage for a labourer at Her Majesty's Naval Base, Portland, and the minimum weekly wage for a London worker employed in a civilian dockyard, respectively.
Mr Ernest Thornton
, Farnworth
The minimum weekly wage for a labourer at Her Majesty's Naval Base, Portland is £10 8s. for a week of 42 hours. The minimum weekly wage for a London worker employed in a civilian shipyard is £9 11 s. for a week of 41 hours, but, in addition a compensatory payment of 15s. a week is made to workers on plain time rates who have had no payments by results, incentive payments or bonuses.
Mr Evelyn King
, South Dorset
Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that when the various complications are taken into account there is a very large discrepancy between the amounts actually earned in London and those earned in Dorset and that this ought to be remedied? Does not he agree that this particular case can only be remedied by the Government who directly employ these men? May we hope that they will do something about it?
Mr Ernest Thornton
, Farnworth
On the latter part of the supplementary question, it will be a matter for the employer on the one hand and the trade unions who represent the men on the other. The difference in the minimum weekly wage between the two places which the hon. Member mentioned is only about 1½ per cent.
Mr Evelyn King
, South Dorset
But the earnings?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
