Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Statement of 2 September 2024, HCWS64, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in other countries in the F-35 global supply chain on the potential merits of suspending indirect exports of F35s to Israel.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The F-35 programme is the largest international collaborative defence programme in the world. The UK cannot make changes to the F-35 programme unilaterally – any change requires agreement across all Partner Nations. Regular discussions with programme partners on the operation of the programme are ongoing.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Statement of 30 July 2024 on Low Pay Commission Remit, HCWS43, by what date will 18 to 20 year olds be in receipt of the single adult National Minimum Wage.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to delivering a genuine living wage for working people, and removing the discriminatory age bands, so that all adults can benefit.
The new Low Pay Commission (LPC) remit asks the LPC to make progress on extending the National Living Wage to all adults. This will be achieved in the coming years, with the Government basing this decision on robust evidence, as well as the recommendations from the Low Pay Commission.
The new remit is clear that this ambition should be pursued while also taking into account the effects on employment of younger workers, incentives for them to remain in training or education and the wider economy.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Statement of 30 July 2024 on Low Pay Commission Remit, HCWS43, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the floor of the National Living Wage rate to one higher than two-thirds of UK median earnings for workers aged 21 and over.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has issued a new remit to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to recommend a National Living Wage (NLW) which takes into account the impact on business, competitiveness, the labour market, the wider economy and for the first time this year, the cost of living, including the expected annual trends in inflation.
When recommending rates, the LPC carries out extensive research and consultation, drawing on economic, labour market and pay analysis, independent research, and stakeholder evidence to inform its recommendations.
When setting new rates, the Government publishes an Impact Assessment (IA) for that year’s increases this sets out the evidence base that informs the Government’s decision on the rate.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Statement of 30 July 2024 on Low Pay Commission Remit, HCWS43, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the National Living Wage in line with the forecast rate of CPI inflation.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has issued a new remit to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to recommend a National Living Wage (NLW) which takes into account the impact on business, competitiveness, the labour market, the wider economy and for the first time this year, the cost of living, including the expected annual trends in inflation.
When recommending rates, the LPC carries out extensive research and consultation, drawing on economic, labour market and pay analysis, independent research, and stakeholder evidence to inform its recommendations.
When setting new rates, the Government publishes an Impact Assessment (IA) for that year’s increases this sets out the evidence base that informs the Government’s decision on the rate.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to review the application of employment law to renewable energy installations within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone for seafarers working out of UK ports.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Government is currently reviewing the application of employment law to renewable energy installations. We will continue to review the needs of the renewable energy sector and its workforce - and take action when needed - as we progress towards reaching Net Zero by 2050.
The Seafarers Wages Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament, will mean (when law) that those seafarers who call regularly (at least 120 times a year) at UK ports will be entitled to an equivalent of the National Minimum Wage. This would include those seafarers working on ships to and from offshore renewable platforms.