HC Deb 02 March 2000 vol 345 c338W
28. Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy that the purchasing power of the national minimum wage including the 10p increase recently announced is maintained in future. [111559]

Mr. Alan Johnson

The Government have always made clear that there should be no automatic mechanism for making changes to the national minimum wage rate.

We have asked the independent Low Pay Commission to continue monitoring the minimum wage and to examine the case for an increase.

Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate how many 21-year-olds would be entitled to the full minimum wage if they were treated as adults rather than young people; what estimate he has made of the impact of such a change(a) nationwide and (b) in the constituency of Hereford; and if he will make a statement. [112430]

Mr. Alan Johnson

The total number of 21-year-olds entitled to the national minimum wage is, according to Autumn 1999 Labour Force Survey figures, around 440,000. Of these fewer than 20,000 would benefit from being entitled to the full national minimum wage rate rather than the rate for young people, according to the Low Pay Commission's estimate, which covers Great Britain. There are no figures available for individual constituencies.

I also refer the hon. Member to the Government's detailed response to the Low Pay Commission's report, placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament on 22 February 2000, which explains the Government's position on 21-year-old workers and the national minimum wage.