Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of employees in their Department are paid at the rate of the National Minimum Wage.

This Government is committed to paying people a decent living wage, which is being addressed through the statutory National Living Wage. In April 2022, the Government increased the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour. This will rise to £10.42 an hour from 1 April 2023, an increase of 9.7%.

By 2024, the Government has committed that the National Living Wage will reach 66% of median UK earnings.

The Government will always award contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer.

Departments must ensure that they apply the legislative increase to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.

The total number of civil servants in HM Treasury paid at the National Minimum Wage rate per hour was 0 (0% of all staff) and the National Living Wage rate per hour was 0 (0% of all staff) as at December 2022. All current HM Treasury employees are paid above the rate of the National Minimum Wage.