Youth Minimum Wage (Northern Ireland) Bill

A

BILL

TO

Amend the Minimum Wage (Northern Ireland) Act to remove the subminimum wage levels for those under the age of 18

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as Follows:*

Section 1: Amendments to the Minimum Wage (Northern Ireland) Act

(1) Section 2 (1) shall be amended to read as follows:

The minimum wage shall be equal to-

(2) Section 2 (2) shall be repealed in its entirety

Section 2: Short Title and Commencement

(1) This act may be cited as the Youth Minimum Wage (Northern Ireland) Act 2023.

(2) This act will come into effect immediately after receiving Royal Assent.

This bill was written by The Most Honourable Lady model-avery LT LD DBE CT CVO PC MP MLA, Marchioness of Duckington, on behalf of the Northern Irish Party

Opening Speech

Deputy Speaker,

Youth in this country have been discriminated against for far too long. Those under the age of 18 ordinarily get just 67% of the full minimum wage and they get just 64% for seasonal work. This is despite being expected to do the same work as those aged over the age of 18. It was a welcome first step to get rid of the subminimum wage for those aged up to a certain age over 18 but the reality is that a subminimum wage should not exist at all.

Even ignoring the fact that there are numerous circumstances where those aged under 18 may truly need the money (for example if they look after family) but we also must recognise that even if they do not need the money it is frankly none of our business and we should not be expecting people to work for less than a rate we admit is the least someone should be paid for their time, it’s barbaric Deputy Speaker.

Deputy Speaker, it is time we start treating young people like people and that starts with treating their time with the same value as everyone elses. I commend this bill to the assembly, thank you.

This reading shall end on the 24th of March at 10PM