§ 23. Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the effect of the national minimum wage on wage rates in Scotland. [159312]
§ Mr. FoulkesThe Office for National Statistics' latest estimate of low pay (combining New Earning Survey and Labour Force Survey statistics) show that the National Minimum Wage is having a direct and beneficial impact on the pay of the lowest paid workers in Scotland. The latest data also show that it has helped close the gap between the highest and lowest earners and helped reduce the differential between men's and women's pay. This has been achieved without any discernible adverse impact on the economy. The minimum wage has benefited at least 120,000 workers in Scotland.