National Minimum Wage

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Excerpts

Monday 19th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Courtown]

My Lords, a good lesson to learn is always to check the newspapers before you come to the Dispatch Box. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in the process of vacating the Old Admiralty Building, which has reduced the number of cleaning staff required. The department has not taken any disciplinary measures against any cleaning staff. Our contractor Interserve has assured us that no one has been made redundant as a result of a letter asking for an increase in pay. From April 2016, all Interserve staff will benefit from the new mandatory national living wage.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

My Lords, on the subject of reading the newspapers, has my noble friend read the excellent article in today’s Telegraph by Boris Johnson, in which he says that, as a result of a decision in Europe, employers are going to have to pay for travelling time from the moment people leave for their place of work? Can this possibly be true? Can it also be true that Ministers are not in a position to do anything about that?

[The Earl of Courtown]

My Lords, I am afraid I did not read the Mayor of London’s article in the Daily Telegraph. However, I can tell my noble friend from my own experience of employing people in an SME that we did pay people for their travelling time to and from work.