§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department, in terms of salary payments, which would result from an increase of the minimum wage for all age groups to(a) £4, (b) £4.20 and (c) £4.50 per hour. [120246]
§ Mr. MorleyStaff in my Department and its Agencies are salaried and are not paid by the hour. However, for the purposes of this question I am able to calculate salary levels based on normal full-time working hours of 36 per week in London or 37 hours elsewhere.
No staff in my Department are paid at salary levels less than or equivalent to £4.00 or £4.20 per hour. If the minimum wage for all staff was increased to a salary level equivalent to £4.50 per hour the annual cost to my Department would be £51,464.