Williams backs Living Wage

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 9th Oct 2008

Kirsty Williams AM for Brecon & Radnorshire and Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Economy has put her support behind a 'living wage' for Wales.

Kirsty has signed up to following statement of opinion:

'This Assembly welcomes the significant contribution a Living Wage can make to the reduction of poverty across Wales and calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to promote a Living Wage in all its policies.'

Kirsty commented: "A Living wage would work successfully to introduce dignity, increase standards of living and alleviate poverty.

"The method calculates the minimum income needed by a family or individual to ensure good health, adequate child development and social inclusion. Variants of this method have produced figures far in excess of the current minimum wage and would make a huge improvement to the lives of the lowest earners in society.

"A living wage would be more effective than the Minimum Wage at keeping people out of poverty and getting them out of the 'benefit trap'."

Ends/diwedd