§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the net cost of establishing a national minimum wage at the basic supplementary benefit level, excluding the benefit of child allowances, for the periods 6th April 1975 to 5th April 1976 and 6th April 1976 to 5th April 1977;
(2) if he will publish the cost of guaranteeing a minimum wage for fulltime employees equal to the basic level of receipts from supplementary benefit for the years 1975–76 and 1976–77.
§ Mr. OrmeThe question of a national minimum wage is for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. To make an estimate of the cost to employers, he would need to know 515W which of the various supplementary benefit scale rates were to be used for the purpose; whether an element for rent, dependants and additional special factors were to be included in the calculation; and whether any available family income were to be taken into account in any way in fixing the appropriate wage level.