Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the equity of the minimum wage for apprentices.

The Government asks the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to recommend the Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage such that it increases pay of the lowest paid apprentices without damaging their employment prospects.

In April 2019, the Apprentice National Minimum Wage will increase to £3.90 an hour, from £3.70. This increase, of 5.4%, will be the largest across all the minimum wage rates rises in 2019.

The LPC are currently conducting a review of the minimum wage youth rates and the apprenticeship rate structure. They are due to provide advice on this matter to Government in Spring 2019.