Parliament Workbench
Data: Official Report to 12 Nov 2026

Official Report · Committee

Current Petitions

Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (PE1139)

Tuesday 21 April 2009 Public Petitions Committee Petitions 5 contributions · 4 speakers

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The record

5 contributions
Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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PE1139, by John Quigley, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Government to retain the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board as a separate body and to expand its remit to cover all workers in the agricultural sector, including those in private and ornamental gardens and all types of fish farming. Are there any comments?

Bill Butler Lab Glasgow Anniesland
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We should continue with the petition, and write to the Scottish Government to ask whether it wishes to provide an update once a decision has been taken with regard to the on-going review, and to say or to clarify how it has taken into account the issues that the petition raises.It has been nearly seven months since the consultation and the review of the wages board ended, but no decision has been announced. It is a bit beyond time for us to hear the Government's view, which is important for the petitioner and for those who support the idea of the board. My view is that it is a very good organisation, but we need to know what the Government's view is.

John Wilson SNP Central Scotland
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I support Bill Butler in what is almost a demand for a response from the Scottish Government on the issue. As he indicated, it is seven months since the review was closed, and the opinions and consultation have been gathered. It would be useful to write to the Government to ask when it expects to report on the outcome of the consultation and when it is likely that any decisions will be processed by the Government in relation to that view.It is vital that workers in the agricultural industry find out what the future of the board will be, and it is equally important for other workers to find out when they will be covered by the wages board. I fear that the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board could be disbanded in line with the argument that has been made elsewhere that the Low Pay Commission is carrying out sufficient work to cover workers with regard to terms and conditions and the national minimum wage.It is clear that the historical role of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board and the work that has been done in relation to it over the past 50 or 60 years has served agricultural workers well. Other groups of workers in related industries could equally be covered under the wages board agreement.

Nanette Milne Con North East Scotland
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We should keep the petition open, but I agree with John Wilson that perhaps we should put pressure on the minister to reach a conclusion.I can understand why it is taking a long time to make a decision, because this is a controversial issue. There are strongly held opinions on both sides. Perhaps we should nudge the minister along towards making a decision.

Frank McAveety Lab The Convener · Glasgow Shettleston
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On the ground that we want to keep the petition open, I want to declare an interest in that I am a member of Unite trade union, which it is clear is the author. That covers other members who are also members of the same trade union.

In this meeting

Everything on 21 Apr 2009 →
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