Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities about commissioning social care providers who are compliant with the national minimum wage.

The Department of Health is responsible for policy on care and support, including the commissioning of social care services by local authorities. The commissioning of social care is a matter for individual local authorities.

The Care Quality Commission, as regulator of health and adult social care services, regulates social care providers to ensure services comply with essential standards of safety and quality.

My Department has not issued any guidance to local authorities about compliance with the National Minimum Wage by social care providers.HM Revenue and Customs has recently carried out an evaluation of compliance with the National Minimum Wage in the social care sector. This was published on 29 November 2013 and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.