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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the TUC's oral evidence to the National Minimum Wage Low Pay Commission Report Spring 2016, page 242, on the rate of labour market improvement for those aged between 21 and 24.

Setting different minimum wage rates according to the age of the worker helps to protect the employment prospects of younger workers.

While this has improved recently, those aged 21 to 24 have a marked difference in labour market dynamics when compared to older workers. This is evident through differences in their median earnings, employment rates and unemployment rates.

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) recommends National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates to Government based on detailed consideration of the evidence on the economy, labour market and pay, as well as wide ranging consultation evidence. Earlier this year the Government accepted all of the LPC’s recommendations for NMW rates for workers aged under 25; this means the 21-24 year old NMW rate will increase by 25p (3.7 per cent) to £6.95 per hour in October. This is the largest single increase in the main rate of the NMW since 2008 in cash terms.