§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what effect the removal of wages council legal protection for young people has had on low pay.
§ Mr. NichollsThe removal of wages council minima has enabled employers to offer, and young people to accept, jobs at rates which would previously have been unlawful, and there is evidence that this has resulted in increased job opportunities for those under 21. It is not possible to measure the effect of this greater flexibility on pay levels, but there has been no general reduction in the earnings of young people in wages council trades. These have continued to increase in real terms.