Calls have been made for the island’s minimum wage to be looked at as Lawrie Hooper asked what was being done to make housing affordable to young people in this week’s House of Keys.

Ramsey MHK Mr Hooper had asked the Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer what action had been taken address issues identified in the 2017 Housing Market Review.

While Mr Harmer noted that the housing market had remained largely static in recent years, he agreed with Bill Shimmins (Middle) that the minimum wage needed review.

Mr Hooper said that for the under 25s, the price to earnings ratio on a median house was 12.37, or more than 12 times the average salary.

Mr Harmer said: ’The proportion of houses sold under £250,000 was the highest it had been in recent years, at 50% of sales, and that the earnings ratio, mortgage to income has also improved since 2011.’

Mr Harmer added that to date, just under £4m in assistance has been given to help 132 first-time buyers.

He said that he agreed with the principle of the minimum wage. Iti s currently lower than the UK and Ireland for anyone over 21, and that needed to be examined, he said.

That was a job for the Treasury.

By law, the Treasury and Department for Enterprise must consult the minimum wage committee before making any changes.