To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the estimated cost is in 2003–04 to her Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour. [110441]

Staff in my Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are already on salary levels above £4.50 per hour. Some additional costs to the Department may arise if external contractors providing services such as cleaning and catering are affected by the increase in the national minimum wage, but at this stage it is not possible to assess what these costs might be.