§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans there are to extend coverage of the national minimum wage to under 18s; [90639]
(2) what plans there are to abolish the development rate for the national minimum wage; [90638]
(3) if she will estimate the impact of increasing the minimum wage (a) in line with average earnings, (b) to £4.17 per hour, (c) to £4.87 per hour, (d) to £5.00 per hour and (e) to £5.30 per hour, on the cost of salaries of departmental employees (i) in total and (ii) for each nation of the United Kingdom in the next financial year; [90605]
(4) when the Low Pay Commission will produce its next report; [90637]
(5) what she estimates the cost to businesses would be of an increase in the national minimum wage from (a) £4.20 to £4.87 and (b) £3.60 to £4.17 in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales, and (iv) Northern Ireland. [90636]
§ Alan JohnsonWe have asked the Low Pay Commission to produce their Fourth Report on the national minimum wage by February 2003 and will carefully consider any recommendations that the Commission make on these issues in that report.