National Minimum Wage

HC Deb 18 May 2004 vol 421 cc896-7W

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Liverpool, West Derby have benefited from the national minimum wage. [173663]

Mr. Sutcliffe

It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Liverpool, West Derby. However, based on the Office for National Statistics Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the north west stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the national minimum wage.

Mr. Gordon Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Blackpool, South have benefited from the national minimum wage. [173064]

Mr. Sutcliffe

It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Blackpool South. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the National Minimum Wage.