AQW 24273/17-22 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities (i) whether her Department and all organisations contracted or funded by her Department are paying staff the living wage; and (ii) will she be ensuring any organisation delivering services will meet living wage standards in 2022/23.
Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 14 October 2021
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 14 October 2021
- Answer due by
- 29 October 2021
- Answered
- 10 November 202127 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
New Decade New Approach included a commitment for the Executive to become a Living Wage Employer and the Department of Finance has put the necessary arrangements in place for this.
These include a pay award for the Civil Service that ensures the payment of the Living Wage and a new procurement policy that will see the Living Wage also being included as a condition of contract for all tenders from June 2022.
On this basis, the Department of Finance has been engaging with the Living Wage Foundation to secure formal accreditation, and the Finance Minister hopes to be in a position to make an announcement soon in that regard.