§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been commissioned and what estimates have been made by her Department and what information presented to her, regarding the costs per annum to the Northern Ireland Department's budget of the introduction of a minimum wage at(a) £3.50 an hour, (b) £4 an hour and (c) £4.40 an hour; and if she will make a statement. [2114]
Mr. MurphyThe Secretary of State has not specifically commissioned work on levels of minimum pay. However officials do address a range of pay scenarios during pay negotiations. As part of this year's pay negotiations the Trade Union has lodged a claim for a minimum wage of £4.42 per hour and officials calculate the cost of this for the non-industrial civil service to be in the region of £5 million. Calculations were also undertaken on the basis of £4 per hour and this would result in an additional cost in the region of £2.5 million.