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UN Aid Target

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to increase Her Majesty's Government spending on overseas aid to the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national product. [11984]

29 Jan 1996 : Column: 504

Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) on 19 January, Official Report, column 787.

Nepal

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made

29 Jan 1996 : Column: 505

of the future of his Department's funding for the Lumle agricultural research centre in Nepal; and what plans he has for aid to Nepal in research into disease-resistant crops such as peas, cold tolerant rice and broad leaf mustard. [11735]

Mr. Hanley: The Government will decide later this year on the extent and nature of further aid support for hill agricultural research in Nepal, including the Lumle

29 Jan 1996 : Column: 506

agricultural research centre, in the light of progress on the present foundation year project.

Research into disease-resistant crops is an important component of current British aid to agricultural research in Nepal. The Lumle agricultural research centre has already successfully produced a cold-tolerant variety of rice, and research into disease resistant tomatoes, wheat, rice, potatoes and maize is currently being undertaken.

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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Minimum Wage

Mr. MacShane: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 1995, Official Report, column 628, if he will list the research mentioned in his reply. [11808]

Mr. Lang: Among the studies considered are the following:

(i) UK Studies on the link between pay and jobs at national level:


HM Treasury, (1985) "The Relationship Between Employment and Wages". London: HMSO. [This is the most comprehensive survey of the evidence on the link between pay and jobs at a national level.]


Wells, W. (1983). "The Relative Pay and Employment of Young People", Department of Employment Research Paper No. 42.


(ii) UK Studies on the employment effects of proposals for a national minimum wage:


Bazen, S. (1990) "On the Employment Effects of Introducing a National Minimum Wage in the UK", British Journal of Industrial Relations, 1990.


Bazen, S. (1991) "Minimum Wage, an Analysis of the Issues", Institute of Personnel Management.


Dennison, S.R. and Forrest D. (1984. "Low Pay or No Pay; A Review of the Theory and Practice of Minimum Wage Laws", Institute of Economic Affairs, Hobart Paper No. 101.


Gregg, P. (1992). "National Minimum Wage", in the National Institute Economic Review, February 1992.


Minford, P. (1989). "The Effects in the UK of EEC Wage Proposals in the Social Charter", in the Liverpool Quarterly Economic Bulletin, December 1989.


UBS Phillips and Drew (1991). Economic Briefing, June 1991.


James Capel Economic Research Unit (1991) in "Is Labour a Threat?"


Kleinwort Benson, (1995): "Window on the Economy". UK Economics, Third Quarter 1995.


(iii) Studies of the employment effects of the wages boards and councils:


Canning, D. And Tarling, R. (1985). "A Report on the Department of Employment's Study "Wages Floors in the Clothing Industry, 1950-1981", Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge 1985.


Craig, C. And Wilkinson, F. (1986). "Pay and Employment in Four Retail Trades", Department of Employment Research Paper No. 51.


Kaufman, R. (1989). "The Effects of Statutory Minimum Rates of Pay on Employment in Great Britain". Economic Journal, December 1989.


Lund, P., Morris, T., Temple, J., Watson, J. (1982). "Wages and Employment in Agriculture, 1960-1980", GES Working Paper No. 52.


Machin, S. and Manning, A. (1992). "Minimum Wages, Wages Dispersion and Employment: Evidence from the UK Wages Councils", LSE Working Paper No. 221.


Morgan, P., Paterson, D. and Barrie, R. (1986). "Wage Floors in the Clothing Industry, 1950-1981", Department of Employment Research Paper No. 52.

Neuburger, H. (1984). "From the Dole Queue to the Sweatshop", London Low Pay Unit.


(iv) Studies on the employment effects of the United States minimum wage:

29 Jan 1996 : Column: 508

Brown, C., Gilroy, C., Kohen, A. (1982). "The Effect of the Minimum Wage on Employment and Unemployment." Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. xx [This contains a survey of the US evidence.]


Card, D. (1991). "Do Minimum Wages Reduce Employment? A Case Study of California, 1987-1989." NBER Working Paper No. 3710.


Castillo Freeman, A. and Freeman, R. B. (1991). "Minimum Wages in Puerto Rico", NBER Working Paper No. 3759.


Katz, L. and Kreuger, A. (1991). "The Effect of the New Minimum Wage Law in a Low Wage Labour Market", Princetown University Working Paper, No. 379.


Newmark, D., and Wascher, W. (1991). "Evidence on Employment Effects of Minimum Wages and Subminimum Wage Provisions from Panel Data on State Minimum Wage Laws". NBER Working Paper No. 3859.


Card, D. and Kreuger, A. (1994). "Minimum Wages and Employment: A Case Study of the Fast-Food Industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania", American Economic Review, Vol. 84, No. 4.

Card, D. and Kreuger, A. (1995). "Myth and Measurement--The New Economics of the Minimum Wage", Princetown University Press, 1995.


Katz, L. and Kreuger, A. (1992). "The Effects of the Minimum Wage on the Fast-Food Industry", Industrial and Labour Relations Review, Vol. 46, No.1.


Neumark, D. and Wascher, W. (1995). "The Effect of New Jersey's Minimum Wage Increase on Fast-Food Eemployment: A Re-Evaluation Using Payroll Data", National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 5224.


Report of the Minimum Wage Study Commission (1981), Vol. 1. [This report contains an assessment of the Federal minimum based on a large number of studies.]


Walsh, K. (1991). "A Comparative Review of Minimum Wage Systems" in "Minimum Wage--An Analysis of the Issues". Institute for Personnel Management.


Vedder, R. and Gallaway, L. (1995). "Minimum Wages Cost Jobs".


(v) Studies of the employment effects of the minimum wage in EU member states:


Ducos, and Plassard (1991). "Young People's Employment and the Minimum Wage".


Van Soest, A. (1994). "Youth Minimum Wage Rates: The Dutch Experience".


(vi) References to international evidence of the employment effects of minimum wage legislation in work conducted by the ILO and the OECD:


ILO (1992). "Minimum Wages, Wage Fixing Machinery, Application and Supervision", International Labour Office.


OECD, (1991). "1990-91 OECD Economic Surveys, France".


OECD, (1989). "1988-89 Economic Surveys, Netherlands".


OECD, (1990). "Labour Market Policies for the 1990s".


OECD, (1994). "The Jobs Study: Evidence and Explanations Part Two". OECD, Paris, 1994.


Starr, G. (1981). "Minimum Wage Fixing", International Labour Office.


Bazen, S. and Martin (1991). "Impact of the Minimum Wage on Earnings and Employment in France", OECD Economic Studies No. 16.


(vii) Other articles and correspondence concerning the debate about the employment effects of the wages councils, and minimum wages. For example, a recent Fabian Society pamphlet by Fred Bayliss; various publications by the Low Pay Unit; and New Economy, Winter 1995, Vol. 2, Issue 4.

29 Jan 1996 : Column: 509

Positive about Disabled People Symbol

Mr. Barnes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for his Department and each of the agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol for (a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11919]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The DTI does not use the symbol for external or internal recruitment, or for promotion. However, it is kept under review as the Department develops its programme of action on staff with disabilities.

I have asked the chief executives of the DTI's agencies to write to the hon. Member direct.

Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:

I am replying to your written question on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency.
Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for his Department and each of the Agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol for (a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion.
The Radiocommunications Agency does not use the Employment Services Positive about Disabled People symbol for either external recruitment or internal recruitment and promotion.
However the Agency only assumed responsibility for equality of opportunity matters from the Department of Trade and Industry in October 1994. The Agency produces an annual Action Programme. One of the actions in the 1996 Action Programme is to consider the use of the Employment Services Disability Symbol. I expect that the Agency will make a decision later in the year on whether or not to use the symbol for both external recruitment and internal recruitment and promotion.

Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:

The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question and about use of the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol. This Agency does not currently make use of this symbol.

Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 25 January 1996:

The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question on behalf of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, an executive agency of DTI.
The Laboratory does not use the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol for either a) external recruitment or b) internal recruitment and promotion.
However, recruitment advertisements contain a statement that LGC is an equal opportunities employer whether directed at external or internal applicants.

Letter from David Durham to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:

I have been asked to respond as Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency, to your question to the President of the Board of Trade regarding the use of the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol. I can confirm that we have been pleased to advertise our commitment in this way.
The symbol is used for both external and internal recruitment purposes and, as you can see below, is publicised on all recruitment correspondence issued by our Personnel Section.
I hope this is helpful.

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Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:

The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about using the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol.
The Insolvency Service does not currently use the symbol for either external recruitment or internal recruitment and promotion. However following discussions with the Employment Service, it is in the process of applying for permission to use it on all its recruitment, promotion and training literature.

Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:

I am replying for the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about use of the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol. In recent external recruitment exercises we have used either the symbol, or text making it clear that we welcome applications from those with disabilities. In internal recruitment or promotion we rely on a statement of our Equal Opportunities Policy we have issued to all staff which makes it clear that discrimination on grounds of disability is unacceptable. We have also established a Disabled Forum which can raise with management any point of concern.

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