Chancellor failed to give a timetable for equalising minimum wage rates for younger workers, undermining a manifesto commitment that had promised the change before the next general election. John Healey told the BBC on Sunday that the government remained committed to the objective but stopped short of saying when it would be implemented, describing it as 'a question of when.'
The move to equalise rates was a feature of the party's manifesto. In the recent budget the government put through a rise in the minimum wage for adults and for those under 20, but it did not include a larger increase specifically targeted at younger workers that would have been necessary to move towards parity with adult rates.
Healey's remarks and the absence of a clear timetable have prompted fresh scrutiny of the pledge's viability within the current parliamentary term. Without a specified schedule for additional increases aimed at younger workers, the commitment now looks less certain to be met ahead of the next election.
Ministers have not yet set out further steps or dates to complete the equalisation process. The issue is likely to remain a political talking point as parties and stakeholders assess the implications of the budget measures and any future announcements on wage policy.