HL Deb 28 October 2003 vol 654 c37WA
Lord Mackenzie of Culkein

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any crew members serving on United Kingdom ferries are paid at rates which are less than the national minimum wage. [HL5083]

Lord Davies of Oldham

Most seafarers working on board a ship registered in the United Kingdom must be paid at least the national minimum wage even if they work for long periods outside the United Kingdom. But a seaman need not be paid the national minimum wage if all his work takes place outside the United Kingdom or (while he is working outside the UK) if he is not normally resident in the United Kingdom, even if he is on a British-registered ship.

Enforcement of the national minimum wage is carried out by the Inland Revenue's national minimum wage compliance teams, on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry. Compliance officers investigate every complaint received about employers failing to pay their workers the minimum wage.