Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many and what proportion of (a) his Department's staff and (b) staff working for companies contracted by his Department who are paid less than the Living Wage are (i) white British and (ii) from an ethnic minority background.

There are no direct Department for Business, Innovation and Skills employees paid less than the living wage, either nationally or in London.

We do not centrally hold details such as ethnicity, of the staff working for companies contracted by the Department.

On the 1 April 2014 the Secretary of State increased the wages of the lowest paid contractors to £7.85.