Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff of her Department or its contractors who are responsible for drafting responses to Parliamentary Questions are paid below the rate of the London living wage.

Answers to Parliamentary Questions are drafted by staff across the Department. Whilst core Defra has no direct employees paid less than the London Living Wage there are a small number of temporary staff from employment agencies who are paid less than the London Living Wage. Senior Civil Servants are responsible for providing final advice and draft responses to Ministers.