Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) direct employees, (b) agency staff and (c) outsourced staff working for her Department and its subsidiary agencies are paid less than the living wage.

For the core department and its executive agencies, the number of people currently employed on less than the living wage is as follows:

(a) As at 1 April 2015, all permanent staff are paid above the living wage. There are 7 apprentices paid below the Living Wage.

(b) 66 agency (temporary) staff are paid below the Living Wage;

(c) As at December 2014, 253 outsourced staff, employed by contractors with the central Department to provide office and building services in the central Department and its agencies, were paid below the Living Wage.