This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Agricultural Wages Board
05/10/2006
The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board, in considering the Workers' Representatives pay claim submitted in June 2006, agreed that following the introduction of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 it would not currently propose fixing minimum rates or terms of employment that are age-related.
The Board is proposing that the minimum hourly rates payable from January 1, 2007 will be:
- £5.35 per hour for those in the first 26 weeks of employment
- £5.70 for those employed for more than 26 weeks by the same employer- an increase of 4.4 per cent
The present 10 week qualifying period will be extended to 26 weeks.
The additional sum payable to workers with appropriate qualifications will be £0.86 per hour.
The Dog Allowance will be £4.33 per week for each of up to four dogs.
The Board also agreed to:
- continue to support in principle the concept of a pension scheme for workers in agriculture by maintaining a close watching brief on the structure for the UK Pension system following the report of the Independent Pensions Commission
- refer to its ad-hoc committee the issue of benefit(s) that may be counted towards payments of wages and the value and to bring forward recommendations to the Board next year
The Board's proposals will be advertised in detail during the week beginning October 9. The closing date by which representations must be received is Friday November 3.
The Board will meet again on Wednesday November 15 to consider written representations and, if it so decides, will make an Order giving effect to its proposals.
Rates from October 1, 2006
As a consequence of the changes to the National Minimum Wage rates from October 1 the Board agreed that the following amendments be made to the current Order No 53 with effect from October 1 for workers aged 16, 17, 18, 19 and over in the first 10 weeks of employment:
For agricultural workers aged 16 and 17 years the current rate is £3.12 and the revised rate will be £3.30. £4.26 is the current rate for 18 year olds and this will be increased to £4.45. The 19 years and over rate will increase from £5.05 to £5.35.
The current rate for agricultural workers aged 16 years after 10 weeks of employment is £3.28 and this will be increased to £3.30.
The Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949, as amended to take account of National Minimum Wage legislation does not allow for any minimum hourly rate of pay to be fixed for agricultural workers which is less than the corresponding National Minimum Wage rate.
The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board is constituted under the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949. It is an autonomous body and comprises 17 members, with six representing the interest of employers nominated by the NFU Scotland and the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association, six representing the interests of workers nominated by the T&G Scotland, and five independent members appointed by Scottish Ministers, one of whom is designated Chair.