HC Deb 25 January 2001 vol 361 c707W
33. Mr. Edwards

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the trend in unemployment since the introduction of the national minimum wage. [145825]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Since April 1999, when the national minimum wage was introduced, unemployment has continued to fall reflecting the prudent and sensible level at which the national minimum wage was set. ILO unemployment has fallen by well over 200,000, from 6.2 per cent. to 5.3 per cent.