§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will publish the representations she has received from the small business sector regarding the implications of a statutory national minimum wage; and if she will make a statement. [846]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyA majority of members at the annual conference of the Federation of Small Businesses recently voted for a motion in support of the National Minimum Wage. The independent Low Pay Commission will undertake a wide ranging consultation exercise seeking the views of employers, including small businesses, on the National Minimum Wage and related issues.
§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will use the Treasury model to estimate the impact on employment of the introduction of a statutory national minimum wage at(a) £4.00 per hour, (b) £4.25 per hour and (c) £4.60 per hour; and if she will make a statement. [845]
§ Mr. McCartneyWe will ask the independent Low Pay Commission, before it reaches a recommendation on the level at which the National Minimum Wage might be set, to take into account all the economic circumstances, including its likely impact. Any model will be sensitive to the assumptions put into it and I will not speculate about the possible effects of hypothetical levels before the Commission has had a chance to consider the issues.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to advise the Low Pay Commission to consider a regional element to the minimum wage; and if she will make a statement. [1278]
§ Mr. McCartney[holding answer 3 June 1997]: The Government has made clear its intention to introduce a National Minimum Wage.