Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

My Lords, I note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe.

The context of this instrument is that the regulations were laid before Parliament on 2 February and approved by the other place on 2 March. Their purpose is to increase the national living wage and national minimum...

My Lords, I note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe.

The context of this instrument is that the regulations were laid before Parliament on 2 February and approved by the other place on 2 March. Their purpose is to increase the national living wage and national minimum...

Moved by

Lord Sharpe of Epsom

Moved by

Lord Sharpe of Epsom

My Lords, I am extremely grateful to the Minister for explaining and introducing this SI, to which I have tabled a regret amendment. But I am afraid I take a slightly different view from the one he has just explained.

Once again, we start with an ill-thought-out, anti-business measure by this...

My Lords, I am extremely grateful to the Minister for explaining and introducing this SI, to which I have tabled a regret amendment. But I am afraid I take a slightly different view from the one he has just explained.

Once again, we start with an ill-thought-out, anti-business measure by this...

The noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, will not be surprised to hear that I do not agree with his interpretation of the Government’s announcement yesterday of a major drive to create hundreds of thousands of jobs for young people and to radically transform apprenticeships. I suggest that it demonstrates that this...

The noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, will not be surprised to hear that I do not agree with his interpretation of the Government’s announcement yesterday of a major drive to create hundreds of thousands of jobs for young people and to radically transform apprenticeships. I suggest that it demonstrates that this...

My Lords, it is a sad day to be speaking on the Conservative amendment objecting to a rise in the minimum wage. I support the rise in the minimum wage and the acceleration of the rate for younger workers, who bear the full cost of living. The product of their...

My Lords, it is a sad day to be speaking on the Conservative amendment objecting to a rise in the minimum wage. I support the rise in the minimum wage and the acceleration of the rate for younger workers, who bear the full cost of living. The product of their...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Sikka, who makes the powerful point that there are enough resources in this country for everyone to have a decent life, and for us to look after climate and nature, if we share those resources out fairly.

I...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Sikka, who makes the powerful point that there are enough resources in this country for everyone to have a decent life, and for us to look after climate and nature, if we share those resources out fairly.

I...

My Lords, following on from my noble friend Lord Sharpe, I ask the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Leong, who has vast, successful business experience, why he thinks that Sir Tony Blair said, via his institute, just two weeks ago that Labour’s policies—such as this SI—are

“harming growth and undermining young...

My Lords, following on from my noble friend Lord Sharpe, I ask the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Leong, who has vast, successful business experience, why he thinks that Sir Tony Blair said, via his institute, just two weeks ago that Labour’s policies—such as this SI—are

“harming growth and undermining young...

My Lords, I declare an interest. My colleague behind me was a member of the Low Pay Commission. I served 11 years on the Low Pay Commission. In fact, I remember its introduction and the howls of despair, sometimes from people who should have known better. Today the Low Pay...

My Lords, I declare an interest. My colleague behind me was a member of the Low Pay Commission. I served 11 years on the Low Pay Commission. In fact, I remember its introduction and the howls of despair, sometimes from people who should have known better. Today the Low Pay...

My Lords, I will be relatively brief. We do not regret the minimum wage going up. We support it. What we do regret is the lack of government support for hard-working families and businesses. I have some sympathy with the views of the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe of Epsom, on...

My Lords, I will be relatively brief. We do not regret the minimum wage going up. We support it. What we do regret is the lack of government support for hard-working families and businesses. I have some sympathy with the views of the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe of Epsom, on...

My Lords, I am grateful for the support for the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and respect the thoughtful contributions from across the House. I thank my noble friend Lady Carberry for her support for the instrument and note with thanks her service on the Low Pay Commission. I...

My Lords, I am grateful for the support for the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and respect the thoughtful contributions from across the House. I thank my noble friend Lady Carberry for her support for the instrument and note with thanks her service on the Low Pay Commission. I...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for his response. I was not expecting Confucius, but of course I defer to that ancient wisdom.

I listened very carefully to what was said, in particular by the noble Baroness, Lady Carberry of Muswell Hill. I think she said—she will correct...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for his response. I was not expecting Confucius, but of course I defer to that ancient wisdom.

I listened very carefully to what was said, in particular by the noble Baroness, Lady Carberry of Muswell Hill. I think she said—she will correct...

Perhaps I could recommend to the noble Lord that he takes time to read the Low Pay Commission’s report, which sets out its reasoning in full, and the evidence base it is drawing on. I may have made that point clumsily. I certainly did not mean to disparage the Low...

Perhaps I could recommend to the noble Lord that he takes time to read the Low Pay Commission’s report, which sets out its reasoning in full, and the evidence base it is drawing on. I may have made that point clumsily. I certainly did not mean to disparage the Low...

I thank the noble Baroness for that clarification. I will definitely make a point of reading that and perhaps return to it, depending on what I see.

I say to the noble Lord, Lord Hannett of Everton, who made some very good points, that the camel’s back is already broken when...

I thank the noble Baroness for that clarification. I will definitely make a point of reading that and perhaps return to it, depending on what I see.

I say to the noble Lord, Lord Hannett of Everton, who made some very good points, that the camel’s back is already broken when...

This briefing looks at trends in UK National Minimum Wages, minimum wage jobs and how the UK compares internationally.

This briefing looks at trends in UK National Minimum Wages, minimum wage jobs and how the UK compares internationally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many full-time equivalent diversity, equality and inclusion staff are employed by the Low Pay Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many full-time equivalent diversity, equality and inclusion staff are employed by the Low Pay Commission.

My Rt Honorable Friend the Secretary of State for Business and Trade has today made the following statement.

This Government is committed to making work pay.

As part of our ambitious agenda, we pledged to update the remit to the Low Pay Commission to formally take account of the cost of...

My Rt Honorable Friend the Secretary of State for Business and Trade has today made the following statement.

This Government is committed to making work pay.

As part of our ambitious agenda, we pledged to update the remit to the Low Pay Commission to formally take account of the cost of...

This Government is committed to making work pay.

As part of our ambitious agenda, we pledged to update the remit to the Low Pay Commission to formally take account of the cost of living for the first time, and I am pleased to confirm that this has been achieved.

As...

This Government is committed to making work pay.

As part of our ambitious agenda, we pledged to update the remit to the Low Pay Commission to formally take account of the cost of living for the first time, and I am pleased to confirm that this has been achieved.

As...

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff have left the Low Pay Commission in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff have left the Low Pay Commission in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many Low Pay Commission staff have left that organisation in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many Low Pay Commission staff have left that organisation in each year since 2015.