To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the level of compliance with national minimum wage requirements in the agricultural sector; and if he will make a statement. (224234)

I have been asked to reply.

The Statistics Digest for 2008 provides data on farm labour and wages. This includes data on workers paid below the statutory agricultural minimum wage rate. The table below shows the proportion of people according to the grades set out in the Agricultural Wages Order being paid below the set minima during the last full AWO year (October 2006-September 2006).

These data are collected from the Department for Environment’ Food and Rural Affairs’s Earnings and Hours Survey and are based on a sample of 939 workers and only include people who are 20 years or over.

DEFRA is responsible for enforcing the Agricultural Wages Order and will investigate complaints about underpayment of the minimum wages rate.