---

Treasury;Office for National Statistics

Answer

Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's estimates are of the number of people who have benefited from the national minimum wage in (a) Plymouth, Sutton constituency, (b) Plymouth, Devonport constituency, (c) South-West Devon constituency and (d) Plymouth unitary authority area. [160242] Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply. Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Linda Gilroy, dated 9 May 2001: As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of people in who have benefited from the national minimum wage (NMW) in (a) Plymouth, Sutton constituency, (b) Plymouth, Devonport constituency, (c) South West Devon constituency and (d) Plymouth unitary authority area (160242). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published estimates of the number of jobs paid at less than NMW rates for 1998, 1999, and 2000. These estimates are based on an improved methodology using data from the New Earnings Survey (NES) and Labour Force Survey (LFS). This methodology provides the best estimates for the number of jobs in the UK paid below low hourly rate thresholds and was developed to overcome the deficiencies inherent in using the NES and LFS separately for measuring low pay. Estimates for the United Kingdom and Government Office Regions are posted on the National Statistics website at: www.statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/themes/labour-market/nmw-lowpay- tables.asp Estimates for Parliamentary Constituencies and Unitary Authorities of numbers of jobs paid below NMW rates are not available on the basis of the methodology applied for producing the national and regional level figures.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

368 c219-20W; 160242

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Devon Minimum wage Plymouth

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk