Government announces new appointments to the independent Low Pay Commission

19 Jun 2014 11:21 AM

Three new commissioners appointed to the Low Pay Commission. 

Three new commissioners have been appointed to the Low Pay Commission, Business Minister Jenny Willott announced yesterday (18 June 2014).

Neil Carberry, Brian Strutton and Richard Dickens take up their new roles yesterday. They replace Susan Anderson, Heather Wakefield and Professor Stephen Machin who are standing down.

The appointments are for 3 years, with the option of reappointment.

Business Minister Jenny Willott said:

The National Minimum Wage has been a huge success since it was introduced, making millions of workers better off.

The independent Low Pay Commission gives the government the expert and impartial advice that is essential to this on-going success.

I would like to thank the outgoing commissioners for their contribution and welcome the 3 new commissioners. They bring a great deal of different expertise and experience to the role and I am delighted they are joining the commission.

Notes to Editors

1.Biographies of new commissioners:

Brian Strutton – Employee member:

Brian Strutton is the GMB union’s National Secretary for public services, joint secretary of the National Joint Council (NJC) for local government services, member of the board of the Local Government Pension Scheme and chair of its Cost Management Committee. Prior to this, he was a senior trade union negotiator in major private sector industries and he has wide practical experience of dealing with low pay.

Neil Carberry – Employer member:

Neil Carberry is the Director for Employment and Skills at the CBI, a role he has held since February 2011. Neil has worked at the CBI for the past decade on a wide range of business issues, including pay, pensions, agency work, work permits and skills. He is a member of the CBI’s Management Board. Before joining the CBI, Neil worked in consultancy on HR issues. He has anMSc in Industrial Relations from the London School of Economics and is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD. He is the Chair of BusinessEurope’s Employment Working Group.

Richard Dickens – Independent member:

Richard Dickens is Professor of Economics and Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Sussex. He is a leading academic on labour markets and the minimum wage and his research is influential in both policy and academic debates. Aside from his positions at Sussex, he has held visiting academic positions at Melbourne, Australian National University and the National Bureau for Economic Research in Boston, USA.

2.The LPC is a Non Departmental Public Body responsible for providing advice on the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The Commission reports to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State, and consists of a Chair and eight other members. Three of the Commissioners have an employee/trade union background, 3 have an employer background and 3 are independent/academic labour relations specialists.

3.The LPC monitors, evaluates and reviews the impact of the NMW, with particular reference to the effect on pay, employment and competitiveness in low paying sectors and small firms; the effect on different groups of workers; the effect on pay structures, and the interaction between the NMWand the tax and benefit systems. The commission reviews the level of theNMW adult rate, the youth rates, and the apprentice rate and makes recommendations, if appropriate, for change.

4.The appointments to the Low Pay Commission took effect on 17 June 2014 and will last 3 years, with the option of reappointment. The appointments require a commitment of, on average, 16 days per year. Remuneration is on the basis of a daily rate of £242.12.

5.These appointments were made following an open selection process conducted in accordance with the code of practice and other guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments