§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many agricultural workers are currently covered by the provisions of the Agricultural Wages Order; how many of these he estimates have a disability; and how many incapacity permits under the Order are currently in force. [23739]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 19 January 1998]: It is estimated that at June 1997 some 170,000 workers were covered by the provisions of the Agricultural Wages Order in England and Wales. It is not known how many have a disability.
The Agricultural Wages Act 1948 does not define disability but defines an incapacitated worker as a person who
is so affected by any physical injury or mental deficiency, or any infirmity due to age or to any other cause, that he is incapable of earning that [the agricultural minimum] rate".At 31 December 1996, 102 permits issued to incapacitated agricultural workers were in force in England and Wales.