Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the average annual pay rise for the lowest earners has been since the national living wage was introduced.

In April 2016 the Government introduced a new National Living Wage which applies to all workers aged 25 and over. This brought about the largest ever annual increase of 10.8% in the main rate of the minimum wage.

On 1 April 2017 the Government further increased the National Living Wage by more than the rate of inflation; supporting real pay rises for 1.7 million of the lowest paid workers. The National Living Wage was increased in annual terms by 4.2% from £7.20 to £7.50.

In April 2017, the Government also implemented real terms increases in the National Minimum Wage rates applicable to those aged below 25. The pay rates of an estimated 405,000 workers were increased as follows in annual terms;

- Adult rate for 21 to 24 year olds by 3.2% from £6.95 to £7.05;

- Development rate for 18 to 20 year olds by 3.1% from £5.55 to £5.60;

- Youth rate for 16 to 17 year olds by 2.8% from £4.00 to £4.05; and

- Apprentice rate by 4.5% from £3.40 to £3.50.