§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on the impact of the minimum wage on the uptake of the new deal places for 18 to 24 year olds by the tourism industry. [43778]
§ Mr. Tom ClarkeI have received representations on the impact of the minimum wage from a number of companies and associations in the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry. The Independent Low Pay Commission, in formulating its recommendations, received written and oral evidence from a large number of individuals and organisations, including many of the industry's representative bodies. I am very impressed by the response from the tourism industry to the initiative on the New Deal. Neither at the conference my Department, the Department for Education and Employment and the British Hospitality Association hosted last November, nor in my frequent contacts with the tourism industry since, has specific representation been made to me about the impact of the minimum wage on the New Deal.