Day 120 - 03 May 95 - Page 52
1
2 Q. Does that mean that they did not?
3 A. I would have known about it had they done, so I am
4 saying they did not.
5
6 Q. They did not. Did you have an opinion, as one of the
7 largest employers of young people, on the minimum wage laws
8 and their usefulness or otherwise to business?
9 A. I was quite content when they brought it out because it
10 simplified things.
11
12 Q. You were quite content when they?
13 A. When they brought out the change because it simplified
14 things.
15
16 Q. If we look at the new documents that were served when you
17 started your evidence; it is one of the documents -- I do
18 not know if you have put them in the bundle again.
19
20 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Is there one for the witness box? Was one
21 handed up?
22
23 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, I think they were all handed up at
24 different stages, yes. There were only three, unless one
25 is talking about the hierarchy.
26
27 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Which one are you thinking of?
28
29 MR. MORRIS: It is the one which is ---
30
31 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is one of the ones, if you get yellow X
32 out, Mr. Nicholson?
33
34 MR. MORRIS: -- Store Profit & Loss Report, I think it is?
35 A. Yes.
36
37 Q. It is behind your statement?
38 A. Yes.
39
40 Q. Is it the one that is dated 12.1.93?
41 A. Yes.
42
43 Q. Just so that we have the same copy?
44 A. Yes.
45
46 Q. If we look to the annual, that is, the right-hand side of
47 the document ---
48 A. Yes.
49
50 Q. -- the actual payroll crew costs was 15.1 per cent of
51 sales, that is item 23, yes?
52 A. Yes.
53
54 Q. The previous year was 15.06, yes?
55 A. Yes.
56
57 Q. The plan that year had been 14.8?
58 A. Yes.
59
60 Q. So, in fact, the plan had been to reduce labour costs ---
