PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ABOLITION OF WAGES COUNCILS (No. 2) (25 January 1993)

That this House believes that Government moves to abolish wages councils are a retrograde step and would put millions of low paid workers at risk of exploitation; reminds the Government that currently there are at least 2.5 million people covered by wages councils, that in 1991 alone the Wages Inspectorate found 5,971 firms paying below minimum rates set by those councils, with the companies involved owing their employees in excess of ú1.5 million and that, contrary to impressions given in the business community, minimum rates of pay set by wages councils are not high, but currently are only between ú2.50 and ú3.10 per hour; and believes that pay scales undoubtedly would worsen if protection afforded by wages councils were removed, proof of which can be seen in recent surveys of job centres which found many jobs advertised for young people below minimum rates since they were removed from the orbit of wages councils' concern.

Sponsored by:
Sir Alan Meale (Labour)