Oral Answers to Questions

Drew Hendry Excerpts
Monday 20th July 2015

(9 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Peter Grant Portrait Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

15. What assessment she has made of the potential merits of her Department becoming an accredited living wage employer.

Drew Hendry Portrait Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey) (SNP)
- Hansard - -

16. What assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on its staff of it becoming an accredited living wage employer.

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait The Secretary of State for Education (Nicky Morgan)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Department has no directly employed staff paid below the living wage, and from the end of August 2015 all agency staff should receive at least the living wage. I have commissioned the Department’s head of property to review how the living wage can be paid to subcontracted support staff by the end of this calendar year.

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait Nicky Morgan
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I do not have those figures to hand. I am happy to ask, although it could be regarded as quite intrusive to ask members of staff about their personal financial situation. The hon. Gentleman makes an important point, which is reflected in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor’s recent Budget: we want people who are working to receive the right wage for their work and not to be reliant on state hand-outs.

Drew Hendry Portrait Drew Hendry
- Hansard - -

Has any assessment been made of the potential impact on departmental staff of the removal of tax credits?