30-9-02

Barrett welcomes minimum wage increase

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today welcomed the increase in the national minimum wage but called for the full wage to be extended to all workers over 18.

An estimated 7,000 Scottish workers lose out because of the Government's policy of having a lower wage rate of £3.60 for those aged 18-21 compared to the £4.20 for those over 21.

John Barrett MP said:

"Today's increase in the national minimum wage is welcome. However, it only highlights the unnecessary and unfair wage disparity which remains between workers over and under 21 years old.

"It is clear that, contrary to the scare mongering that had been put out by the Conservatives, a national minimum wage does not deter employers from hiring labour and indeed actually attracts workers into the labour force. That same logic must apply to young workers as well.

"The current system only serves one purpose, to discriminate against 7,000 of Scotland's younger workers, sending them a message that their work is valued less, simply because of their age. Entitling these younger workers to the full minimum wage, as proposed by the Liberal Democrats, would deliver an extra £21 a week into their pay packets.

"Now is the time for the Government to tackle this institutional unfairness and bring in a universal minimum wage."

ENDS