To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implementation of the provisions of the minimum wage legislation. [81940]

We estimate that implementation of the national minimum wage has directly benefited almost 2 million workers. Initial feedback indicates that very few employers are deliberately seeking to evade their responsibilities. Recent research commissioned by Reed Personnel Services shows that almost 9 out of 10 companies surveyed support the national minimum wage in principle and were paying their workers the minimum wage rates in advance of its introduction on 1 April.The Inland Revenue is enforcing the national minimum wage policy, and will supply this Department with data on all matters relating to compliance on a regular basis. Further information on the impact of the introduction of the minimum wage will be available once official statistics are published in the autumn.