PART 4GENERAL EXCEPTIONS FROM PARTS 2 AND 3
Exception for the national minimum wage31
1
Nothing in Part 2 or 3 shall render it unlawful for a relevant person (“A”) to be remunerated in respect of his work at a rate which is lower than the rate at which another such person (“B”) is remunerated for his work where—
a
the hourly rate of the national minimum wage for a person of A's age is lower than that for a person of B's age, and
b
the rate at which A is remunerated is below the single hourly rate for the national minimum wage prescribed by the Secretary of State under section 1(3) of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 M1.
2
Nothing in Part 2 or 3 shall render it unlawful for an apprentice who is not a relevant person to be remunerated in respect of his work at a rate which is lower than the rate at which an apprentice who is a relevant person is remunerated for his work.
3
In this regulation—
“apprentice” means a person who is employed under a contract of apprenticeship or, in accordance with regulation 12(3) of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 M2, is to be treated as employed under such a contract;
“relevant person” means a person who qualifies for the national minimum wage M3 (whether at the single hourly rate for the national minimum wage prescribed by the Secretary of State under section 1(3) of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 or at a different rate).