Welsh Government given power to set farmers' wages

Wales can set its own wages for farmworkers - that's the ruling of the Supreme Court today.

The Bill, which gives the Welsh Government the power to set minimum salaries and benefits was originally passed - but was halted by the Attorney General.

However the move has divided farming unions, as Kevin Ashford reports.

Mick Antoniw, the Assembly member for Pontypridd who was a lead campaigner on the Agricultural Wages Board hails the Supreme Court's decision as a victory for some of the lowest paid members of our society

Shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith has claimed that the UK Government wasted "huge amounts of court time and taxpayers money on a pointless court case" when the Attorney General referred Welsh farm wages legislation to the Supreme Court.

Mr Smith also said that the ruling shows the need for Labour's proposal that the Assembly is put on the same "reserved powers" basis as Scotland. It would spell out what the Assembly could not do.

Meanwhile the Welsh Secretary, David Jones, gave his reaction, concentrating on how the judges have rejected a narrow interpretation of the Assembly's powers.

Unite, the union that represents farm workers, has welcomed the news that agricultural wages will continue to be regulated in Wales, as they are in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The union also wants the system restored in England, where it was abolished last year.

The Conservatives have said the Welsh law on farm workers' wages, which has survived a challenge in the Supreme Court, is sloppy legislation, which caused doubts about whether it was valid and months of uncertainty for farmers.

Plaid Cymru argued that the Supreme Court case shows the need for an improved devolution settlement. The party also claimed that the Welsh Government should have been more ambitious when it asked the Assembly to pass the legislation.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Welsh Assembly was entitled to pass a law regulating agricultural workers' wages and conditions of employment. The Welsh Government introduced the legislation after Westminster scrapped a system that covered both England and Wales.

The Attorney General referred the bill to the Supreme Court. He argued that the legislation was primarily to do with employment, which is not devolved, rather than agriculture, for which the Assembly is responsible. The bill could not be sent for Royal Assent unless the Welsh Government won.

The judges said that "agriculture" doesn't just mean cultivation or rearing livestock but refers to the entire agricultural industry in all its aspects. All five judges ruled that the bill can be "aptly" classified as relating to agriculture and found in favour of the Welsh Government.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Welsh Government acted within the Assembly's powers with its bill to regulate agricultural workers' wages and conditions. The legislation will now become law.

Stephen James, a member of NFU Cymru, says the Agricultural Bill, which could give the Welsh Government the power to set wages and benefits for farm workers, is 'not required'.

A decision by the Supreme Court is due later on whether the government should receive these powers in Wales.

A decision will be made by the Supreme Court later today on whether to give the Welsh Government the power to set wages for farm workers.

A Bill had originally been passed by the Assembly last year, allowing the Welsh Government to set minimum wages and benefits for agriculture workers.

However, Royal Assent of the Bill has been delayed after the Attorney General referred it to the Supreme Court, arguing that it was a law regarding employment issues and not agriculture.