No plans to scrap minimum wage, says chief minister

Jersey's chief minister says the government has "no plans" to abolish the island's minimum wage, set at £13.59 an hour.

Senator Lyndon Farnham was responding to a letter in the Jersey Evening Post from the Sustainable Economic Development Minister Gerald Voisin who said the minimum wage was "strangling our economy".

The minister's comments followed calls to scrap the minimum wage from an economist and Value Jersey board member Douglas Kruger. Deputy Voisin endorsed the political movement Value Jersey in the election.

In a statement, Farnham said Voisin's letter reflected his personal views and should not be seen as the position of the Council of Ministers or States Assembly.

Farnham said the government recognised the minimum wage was "an important issue which requires careful consideration", adding that a statutory minimum wage "remains an important safeguard".

"It helps ensure that work is fairly rewarded, protects employees from unacceptably low pay and provides an important level of security for many islanders and their families," he said.

He said the government would be discussing the future of the minimum wage, including where it should be set and the rate at which it should increase, as part of its overarching policy plans and budget.

He also highlighted that responsibility for the minimum wage sits with the Social Security Minister, Senator Elaine Millar.

He added ministers would have the opportunity to discuss any plans before decisions were reached but it was important the government considers the issue "in a balanced and evidence-based way, taking into account the interests of employees, employers and the island's wider economy".

He said: "I also want to be absolutely clear that the Government has no plans to propose the abolition of the minimum wage.

"Any such proposal would ultimately be a matter for the States Assembly to determine, but it is not a course of action the Government is pursuing."

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