Anne Moffat

Labour Party | East Lothian

East Lothian MP Welcomes National Minimum Wage Increase and extension

On 15th March 2004, Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations to introduce a minimum wage for 16-17 year olds. It will be set at £3.00 and will come into force from October 2004. The National Minimum Wage for adults will also increase to £4.85 with effect from October, while the youth rate will be increased to £4.10.

Anne Picking said:

“This good news for all sixteen and seventeen year olds who will for the first be legally entitled to a minimum wage from October. The new £3 minimum hourly rate was recommended in the Low Pay Commission’s latest report, which also suggested significant increases for the current adult and youth rates.

The Government has accepted all the recommendations in Low Pay Commission’s report, including an increase to £4.85 for adults – an 8% pay rise for around 1.6million low paid workers across the country. This is the biggest single increase in the National Minimum Wage since 2001.

Now in its fifth year, the minimum wage is a flagship policy for this Labour Government. It has made a very substantial difference for at least a million low paid workers every year in the United Kingdom.

And make no mistake when the Tories say 'cut red tape', what they really mean is cut employment rights.

They want to axe the right to paid annual leave, scrap maternity and paternity leave and rights to flexible working. All Labour policies that help hard working families and are backed by the countries best businesses - big and small.

They would reverse these policies - built in partnership with business and unions - and take Britain back to the industrial dark ages.

Labour's minimum wage helps almost 1.5 million low paid workers. The Tories think this immoral and irresponsible. For their entire history – and especially since 1997, opposition to a minimum wage has been a central pillar of Conservative thinking and leaving hard working families struggling to make ends meet.”