Government appoints Sussex economist to Low Pay Commission
University of Sussex economist Professor Richard Dickens has been appointed as an independent member of the Low Pay Commission for a three-year term, Business Minister Jenny Willott MP announced on Wednesday (18 June).
Professor Richard Dickens
The Low Pay Commission makes recommendations to the government on the level at which to set the National Minimum Wage.
Professor Dickens, Professor of Economics and Head of the Economics department, is a leading academic on labour markets and the minimum wage.
In the past, his research has directly informed the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, on the rate at which the National Minimum Wage is set; on the associated regulations; and on the Commission’s evaluation of the economic impact of the National Minimum Wage.
Professor Dickens said: “Over the past 15 years the National Minimum Wage has been very successful in raising the pay of many low-paid workers.
“As the economy continues to recover, the government’s ambition is to increase the real value of the National Minimum Wage, which makes it is a very exciting and challenging time to be appointed to the Commission.”
As a Commissioner, Professor Dickens will be involved in monitoring, evaluating and reviewing:
- the impact of the National Minimum Wage 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 National Minimum Wage and the tax and benefit systems.
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, three have an employer background and three (including Professor Dickens) are independent/academic labour relations specialists.