| 1
May 1997 |
General
Election. The new Labour government promised, in the Queen's
Speech, to uphold its manifesto commitment by introducing
legislation on a national minimum wage as soon as possible. |
| July
1997 |
The
members of the independent Low Pay Commission
were appointed. |
| September
1997 |
The
Low Pay Commission was asked to report on the rates of
the national minimum wage and how it should be implemented. |
| 26
November 1997 |
The
National Minimum Wage Bill was introduced before Parliament. |
| 18
June 1998 |
The
Low Pay Commission presented its First Report to the Prime
Minister. Margaret Beckett, gave the Government Response
in the House of Commons. |
| 31
July 1998 |
The
National
Minimum Wage Act 1998 gained Royal Assent. |
| September
- November 1998 |
The
Public Consultation on the
draft National Minimum Wage Regulations took place. |
| January
1999 |
Inland Revenue
(who will enforce the national minimum wage) wrote
to all employers with information and the 'phone number
for enquiries. |
| March
1999 |
The
National
Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 received Parliamentary
approval. Full guidance 
(250Kb) was made available and has since been updated.
|
| 1
April 1999 |
The
national minimum wage came into force. |
| July
1999 |
Employment Relations Act received
Royal Assent. The Act contains two NMW provisions. |
| November
1999 |
The
Government published its evidence
(110Kb) to the Low Pay Commission, for the second report.
A
publicity campaign was launched, targeted at ethnic
minority groups in low pay areas.
|
| December
1999 |
Government
Published Supplementary Evidence
(35Kb) to the Low Pay Commission. |
| February
2000 |
The
Government announced an increase in the national minimum wage
(16Kb).
The
Low Pay Commission published their Second
Report
(1.15Mb), and the Government's Response was announced.
|
| 1
June 2000 |
The
young person's rate was increased from £3.00 to £3.20.
|
| 1
October |
The
NMW Regulations increased the main rate from £3.60 to
£3.70 and made a number of minor changes, including how
the minimum wage applies to some trainees.
|
| January
2001 |
Low
Pay Commission announced that it will produce its third
report in two volumes. The first volume to appear in March
2001 and deal with the main adult rate of the minimum
wage. The second volume to appear in May 2001 and address
other issues such as the youth rate, the age at which
the main rate comes into force (currently at age 22) and
the accommodation offset.
|
| March
2001 |
The
Government published Volume
One
(656Kb) of the third report and accepted recommendation
that the main rate should increase from £3.70 per hour
to £4.10 per hour on 1 October 2001. They also agreed
in principle that the rate should increase again to £4.20
per hour on 1 October 2002 subject to economic conditions. |
| June
2001 |
The
government published Volume
Two of the third report and accepted recommendation
that the development rate (including youth rate) should
increase from £3.20 per hour to £3.50 per hour on 1
October 2001. They also agreed in principle to a further
increase to £3.60 per hour on 1 October 2002 subject
to economic conditions.
|
| August
2001 |
Second
Annual Report on the national minimum wage published.
This shows, among other things, that despite a fall in
the number of complaints of underpayments received, the
amount of arrears recovered for workers actually increased
quite dramatically from £1.2m in 1999/2000 to £3m in 2000/2001.
This was achieved as a result of improved case selection
and with enhancements to staff training, investigation
officers were able to achieve better results.
|
| October
2001 |
Main
and development rates of the national minimum wage
increased to £4.10 and £3.50 respectively.
|
| October
2002 |
Main
and development rates of the national minimum wage
increased to £4.20 and £3.60 respectively.
|
| February
2003 |
Consultation
paper
(38Kb) issued on system applying minimum wage to output
workers. |
| March
2003 |
Government
published fourth
report
(1.15Mb) from Low Pay Commission and its response
(24Kb). |
