Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Myer Excerpts

Thursday 12th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Justin Madders]

I can certainly name a number. I also refer the hon. Member to Hansard on Tuesday 11 March, column 953, where I named a small business. A number of other businesses have been in support: Centrica, Co-op, Richer Sounds, Nationwide, Adept, One+All, Pedal Me, Inkwell—there are many businesses that we talk to on a regular basis and that understand that treating staff well is a good thing for those businesses. It is a pro-growth, pro-worker measure.

[Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

On 12 June 1996, a Conservative Minister stood at the Government Dispatch Box and said:

“Labour’s minimum wage would cost hundreds of thousands of jobs”.—[Official Report, 12 June 1996; Vol. 279, c. 248.]

They were wrong then and they are wrong now. With particular focus on the Teesside region, what steps are the Government taking to bring more well-paid jobs to people to make sure they can spend more in our local economy?

[Justin Madders]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: there are so many echoes of the minimum wage debate, it is uncanny. As time has shown, the minimum wage has raised living standards in this country and it is something we are very proud to have implemented. We are looking to bring more investment across the economy. Recent surveys have shown that business confidence is increasing as a result of decisions made by this Labour Government.