To ask the Prime Minister what considerations underlie his policy with regard to minimum wage (a) in agriculture and (b) in other sectors; and if he will make a statement. [34997]

The Government remain of the view that statutory wage fixing arrangements, wherever they occur, destroy jobs and prevent job creation. That is why we abolished the wages councils and are keeping the future existence of the agricultural wages board under close review. It is also why we will never introduce the nonsense of a national minimum wage.