§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people aged(a) between 18 and 21 and (b) over 21 years are receiving the national minimum wage; and if she will make a statement. [63369]
§ Alan JohnsonAround 1.5 million low paid workers were entitled to higher minimum rates of pay when the rates were increased to £4.10 an hour for workers aged 22 and over and £3.50 for those aged 18 to 21 on 1 October 2001. Around one in 15 of the beneficiaries are people aged 18 to 21.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many families are in receipt of the national minimum wage in the Portsmouth, South constituency; and if she will make a statement. [63372]
§ Alan JohnsonEstimates for beneficiaries of the national minimum wage by parliamentary constituency are not available.
466W
§ Alan JohnsonThe latest assessment for the core 2000–06 structural funds programmes is set out in the table.
The objective 1 regions are on course to avoid decommitment. As the first decommitment date for objective 2 regions is 31 December 2003, it is too early to say whether the n+2 targets will be met. However we have instigated a regular monitoring procedure to ensure that there is ample warning of any potential problem.
Objectives 1 and 2 in Scotland and Wales are matters respectively for the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales. However, I understand that the relevant figures have been provided by these Administrations.
Around 100,000 people in the south-east stood to benefit from the October 2001 increase in the national minimum wage.