Living Wage

Debate between Chris White and Mark Lazarowicz

Thursday 6th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Chris White]

I agree wholeheartedly with some of my hon. Friend’s points, and I thank him for being such a strong advocate of the living wage.

[Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op)]

I am glad that the hon. Gentleman has brought forward this debate today, along with other colleagues. But we must get real. It is also a fact that under the Government whom he supports, the number of people below the living wage has risen from 3.4 million to 4.9 million in this country, so we need to think how to move forward. Does he agree that we need to get to a situation where every worker employed by Government or local government, or contracted to Government or local government, should be paid at the very least the living wage?