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 employed by contractors working in her Department's central offices are paid below the London Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation; and what estimate she has made of the cost of ensuring that all such staff receive that wage.

There are 2 major contracts arranged by the core Department which employ some people who earn less than the Living Wage or London Living Wage. Outside London, 179 people are employed on these contracts and earn less than the Living Wage. In London, 28 people are employed on these contracts and earn less than the London Living Wage, although 4 of those earn more than the national Living Wage.

We do not currently have an accurate cost estimate for ensuring that all these staff are paid the living wage rates for the UK and London.

It would incur disproportionate cost to examine all our smaller contracts.

There are currently 9 temporary staff from employment agencies who are paid less than the UK Living Wage and employed outside London, and none in London paid less than the London Living Wage. These numbers can change at any time.