**
255
253
Written Answers
1
18 DECEMBER 1981
38011
Mr. Alexander asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost of the Advisory, Conciliation arbitration Service in the financial year ended 1981.
Mr. Waddington: The accounts Conciliation and Arbitration Service for the financial 1980-81 were publis&prober: 198 Cand. 497. The total cost, including certification officer and central arbitration committee, WI
206,
DESK OFFICER Unemployment Statistics
***
Mr. Churchill asked the Secretary Employment, of the total of persons currently unem ployed, how many are female; and, of these, how many are not the breadwinners of single-parent families.
Mr. Alison: Of the 2,953,340 persons registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom on 12 November, 856,643 were female. It is not possible to distinguish from records held at employment offices, on which the unemployment figures are based, how many were breadwinners of single-parent families.
Weekly Earnings
Mr. Hicks asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state for the last year for which figures are available the level of average weekly earnings for males and females, respectively, in work in the United Kingdom and the corresponding figure for Scotland, Wales and each of the standard regions in England and for Cornwall; and if he will also express these figures as a percentage of the United Kingdom figures.
Mr. Peter Morrison: The following table sets out the information at present available from the "New Earnings Survey" for 1981. The level of average weekly earnings for each area is expressed as a percentage of the average for Great Britain.
Average gross weekly earnings in April 1981 of full-time employees whose pay was not affected by absence
*Males aged 21
*Females aged 18 and
As a
percentage of Great Britain
average
95.3 95.7
and over
over
£
As a percentage of Great Britain
£
average
Great Britain
140-5
100
91-4
100
Scotland
140-0
99.6
87.1
Wales
132.7
94.4 87.5
England
South-East
152.4
108-5 99-6
109.0
East Anglia
133-7
95-2 87-2
95.4
South-West
132.6
94.4 87.2
95.4
Cornwall
118.1
84.1 82-3
90.0
West Midlands
131.5
93.6 86-7
94.9
East Midlands
133.6
95-1
84-6
92.6
Yorkshire and
Humberside
133.6
95.1 85-6
93.7
North-West
136-5
97.2 88-4
96.7
North
134.7
95.9 88-0
-96.3
* Separate figures for manual and for non-manual employees for the standard regions of Great Britain were published in part A of the 1981 -report, tables 12 and 13.
Source:
"New Earnings Survey 1981" Note:
Differences in average earnings between areas will reflect any differences in the structure of industry and occupations, and do not necessarily indicate differences in rates of pay for comparable jobs.
132
Written Answers
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Northern Ireland
Mr. J. Enoch Powell asked the Lord Privy Seal, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) on 7 December, Official Report, column 285, in what respects the attitude adopted by the United States Government, as made known to him by the American Deputy Secretary of State, is helpful to Her Majesty's Government in the context of Northern Ireland; and if he will publish any information made known by him to the Deputy Secretary of State but not made known to the Parliament or public of the United Kingdom, on the discussion on 6 November between the Prime Minister and the Irish Premier.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: The aspects of the United States Government's attitude to Northern Ireland that are helpful are their resolute condemnation of violence and terrorism; their efforts to prevent fund raising and the acquisition of arms in the United States of America for use by terrorists in Northern Ireland; their refusal to adopt a policy or position on the question of Irish unity; and, finally, their recognition that if solutions are to ensure they must come from the people themselves and that it is not for the United States to chart the course that others must follow.
Although it is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to reveal the details of confidential discussions with the representatives of foreign Governments, I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that I informed Judge Clark about the discussions between my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Taioseach in the same terms as have been used to inform the Parliament and the public of the United Kingdom.
Hong Kong Police Force (Inspector MacLennan)
Mr. Cook asked the Lord Privy Seal what disciplinary action has been taken or is proposed against those officers of the Hong Kong police force whose actions were criticised by Justice Yang in the report of the commission of inquiry into Inspector MacLennan's case.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: Examination of this matter is continuing and action, including reference to the complaints against the police office, is being taken in appropriate cases.
Mr. Cook asked the Lord Privy Seal whether any changes in the law of Hong Kong are proposed in the light of the conclusions of the inquiry into Inspector MacLennan's case.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: No.
Female Discrimination (United Nations Convention)
Mr. Cyrinl D. Townsend asked the Lord Privy Seal, if he will ensure that ratification of the United Nations convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women is not further delayed.
·
Mr. Hurd: We shall take a decision on ratification as soon as possible, but in view of the wide scope of the convention and the need to consult the Channel Islands. the Isle of Man and the dependent territories in detail I cannot say when this will be.
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