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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential value of (a) local and (b) regional living wages in areas outside of London.

This Government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone. The National Living Wage is part of our wider commitment to ensuring we have a labour market that works for everyone, both in terms of fair pay and fair working conditions.

A single national rate is clear and simple for employers to understand. Introducing regional rates would make the system more complex and increase the risk of non-compliance.