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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many staff working in her Department for Aramark and ISS are paid below the London Living Wage.

Pay data and specific rates are a matter for each individual contractor, but assurances are provided to ensure full compliance with the requirements of the National Living Wage. In April 2019 Government increased the National Living Wage to £8.21 per hour. This is an above inflation increase that saw a full-time minimum wage worker over £2,750 better off over the course of a year compared to when the policy was introduced.

We value all of our staff and they all deserve a fair and competitive wage, whether they are directly employed or working through our contractors. The Department has agreed with its facilities management contractor that they will align the pay of their cleaning, catering, mailroom and security staff to the appropriate median rates for that occupation, as identified in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

The median applied from 1 March 2019 and will be aligned annually.