Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered the potential merits of aligning the apprentice minimum wage with the National Living Wage, including the potential impact on (a) recruitment, (b) retention and (c) completion rates of apprenticeships.

We remain committed to removing the discriminatory adult age band. The latest increase to the NMW of 8.5% continues to close the gap between the minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds and the NLW rate, moving towards a single adult rate.

The Department has published an Impact Assessment providing a comprehensive analysis of the 2026 National Minimum Wage rates.