[BERNADETTE]

As somebody who worked for an employer who was loath to pay a decent days wage for a decent days work before the minimum wage was introduced I can say with confidence that it was well overdue when it was introduced. Not everybody is entitled to claim Working Tax Credits and when this is the case the minimum wage is a blessing. Not all small businnesses are struggling, a lot them are well established it is just that their owners seem loath to pay their employees a decent wage!!!