§ Mr. Ian BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will define poverty pay; and what are his plans to eliminate it. [54470]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyPoverty pay is where an individual has to work excessive hours at low rates of pay to ensure a decent standard of living for themselves and their families. The National Minimum Wage, along with other measures such as the Working Families Tax Credit, forms part of the Government's strategy to make work pay and put an end to such exploitation.