Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the minimum wage for licensed security workers.

The minimum wage applies to all sectors of the UK economy, including the security industry. Each year, the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC) produces recommendations to the Government on the National Living and Minimum Wage rates. The LPC draws on labour market and pay analysis and stakeholder evidence from business, employee and academic communities when recommending rates.

The Government has accepted the LPC’s recommendations on the main rates and on 1 April 2022, increased the NLW by 6.6% to £9.50 an hour for workers aged 23 and over. This is consistent with the Government’s target for the NLW to reach two-third of median earnings by 2024.

We encourage employers to pay their workers more than the statutory minimum where they can afford to, but recognise the ability to do so will vary across businesses and sectors. It is for the individual employer to set wages, hours, and other such terms of employment.