HC Deb 02 April 1998 vol 309 cc1396-7
3. Mr. Levitt

When she last met the chairman of the Low Pay Commission. [35975]

The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Mr. Ian McCartney)

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade last met Professor George Bain, chairman of the Low Pay Commission, on 11 February 1998.

Mr. Levitt

Is my hon. Friend aware that, in my constituency, there are 4,500 families on family credit, and that throughout the east midlands, no fewer than 87,000 people are working for a rate of £2.50 an hour or less? Is he further aware that the national minimum wage will work to improve the welfare of those families? Does he agree that any softening of the line on the national minimum wage from the Leader of the Opposition—even if not from the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood)—is welcome, even though, coming from the party which abolished the wages councils, it will be regarded with incredulity?

Mr. McCartney

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the main reasons why the activities of the Low Pay Commission are so welcome is that they give us an opportunity to implement what is a major manifesto promise at an early stage. It is interesting that, since the weekend, the former Secretary of State for Wales, the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood), has remained silent for once. He has not yet given a commitment to support his right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition by ditching his opposition to the minimum wage and accepting that now, without any doubt, the policy is overwhelmingly supported throughout Britain—and seemingly also within the Conservative party.

Mr. Fabricant

Before the Minister begins his normal high-pitched tirade, may I say that I have always felt that a minimum wage is no bad thing in terms of protecting the least able in our society? Why does he not accept the model which exists in the United States, about which the Prime Minister has repeatedly spoken with much affection? In the United States of America, the national minimum wage varies by region, and people are exempt on grounds of youth or if they work in certain industries, such as tourism. What does the chairman of the Low Pay Commission have to say about what the minimum wage should be in Northern Ireland, as compared with the south-east of the United Kingdom?

Mr. McCartney

I will do a deal with the hon. Gentleman: if he does not mention my accent, I will not mention his hair.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

It's not his hair.

Mr. McCartney

My hon. Friend says from a sedentary position, "It's not his hair," but I would not be so cruel as to suggest that. The hon. Gentleman is trying hard to defend the indefensible, but the British people want the national minimum wage to meet the needs of the low paid. That is why the Low Pay Commission will make its recommendations by the end of May and why, soon afterwards, the Government will implement the national minimum wage.

Mr. Boswell

Every time Conservative Members identified a difficulty with the minimum wage in Committee, the Minister of State referred the matter to the Low Pay Commission. Will he now defer consideration of the Bill in Committee in another place until the Low Pay Commission has reported next month, when it will be clear to everyone whether, as usual, he has been rolled over and has had to accept a compromise figure of, for example, £3.60 per hour?

Mr. McCartney

I am a difficult person to roll over—although once I start rolling, it is hard to stop me. The answer to the hon. Gentleman's question is no. We have made it clear that, in implementing the Low Pay Commission's recommendations, we will return to the House with secondary legislation, which will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure—at each stage, the House can debate and take a view on implementation of the minimum wage.