A Government decision to increase the national minimum wage from October onwards has been applauded by Keighley's MP.

Housing minister Kris Hopkins said he welcomed the plan to raise this wage by 19p an hour to £6.50, a rise of three per cent.

The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will go up by 10p to £5.13 an hour, with those aged 16 and 17 seeing their pay rise by seven pence to £3.79.

Mr Hopkins said: “I'm very pleased that the Government has accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, meaning that workers receiving the national minimum wage will see the biggest cash rise in their take home pay for six years.

“This is good news for hard working people, and reinforces commitments from David Cameron and George Osborne to restore the value of the minimum wage to pre-recession levels.

“A fair minimum wage protects low pay workers, and will help to secure an economic recovery that can benefit everyone.”