Labour MP Alex Cunningham has defended his plan to pay an apprentice £125 for a 35-hour week, after he came under fierce criticism for paying less than the minimum wage for the training role.
Cunningham has championed the causes of young people in the past, and has rallied against young people receiving a lower wage for the same job as an older worker.
The MP for Stockton North has argued that his £3.37/hour apprentice rate is 25% higher than the minimum rate of £2.68, and the successful applicant for his Intermediate Apprenticeship in Business Administration post would be “a genuine opportunity to learn and achieve qualifications through a reputable college” according to the Hartlepool Mail. He also said that the rate would increase as the person develops in the role, which would last 12 months.
However, critics contend that £3.37 per hour is only half the national minimum wage of £6.31 per hour, and much less than a living wage.
