To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will publish legal advice (a) obtained and (b) considered by his Department in the last two years on the application of the minimum wage to seafarers sailing between UK ports. (307825)

The Government's legal advice concerning the proposed extension of the national minimum wage to seafarers plying their trade between UK ports is clear and has been relayed on a number of occasions, both personally and in correspondence, to representatives of the trade union movement by successive Ministers.

I last wrote to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington, setting out the Government's position on the proposed extension of the national minimum wage, on 9 November 2009. I have placed a copy of that correspondence in the Libraries of the House.

Additionally, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (UIN 307815).