§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has studied the report of the low pay unit on the wages and conditions of grooms; and if he will consider extending the scope of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board and the Agricultural Wages Board to include grooms.
§ Mr. AlisonI have studied the low pay unit's report with interest and I note that it suggests a wider enquiry in the industry into the terms and conditions of employment of grooms. I understand that orders made by the agricultural wages boards for Scotland and for England and Wales apply only to those employed in agriculture.
291WThe majority of grooms are employed outside agriculture and it would not be appropriate for their rates of pay to be settled by the boards.