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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to tackle low pay in rural areas.

The Government is committed to delivering an economy that works for all. Through the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, the Government is ensuring the lowest paid across the UK are fairly rewarded for their contribution to the economy. For example, 3,100 workers in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk are currently on the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.

The Government has committed to increase the National Living Wage to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, subject to sustained economic growth. To meet this target, we will increase the National Living Wage rate by 4.9% to £8.21 in April 2019, benefiting 1.8 million workers directly. This increase will mean that a full-time worker on the National Living Wage will be over £2,750 better off over the course of the year, compared to when the policy was introduced. Furthermore, inflation-beating increases in the National Minimum Wage rates are expected to benefit 350,000 young workers from April 2019.