Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales and Trefnydd
Earlier this month, I signed the Agricultural Wages Order 2022. The Order makes some significant changes to the Agricultural Minimum Wage framework.
These changes are based on the recommendations of the Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales to simplify and modernise the Order, and include:
- a new grading structure and grade descriptions;
- changes to the minimum rates of pay and allowances;
- removes the outdated Schedules of qualifications included in previous Orders;
- establishes a qualifications-based progression route through the grading structure based on qualifications within a relevant Welsh Government Apprenticeship Framework; and
- clarification to the on-call and accommodation offset allowance.
The new Order came into force on 22 April 2022 and will be backdated to 1 April 2021. This will recompense those agricultural workers who would have expected an increase in their hourly wage from this date, as proposed in the Panel’s autumn 2020 consultation. As a result, some employers may need to make back payments to some of their employees.
More detailed information and guidance is available on the Welsh Government website.
I am grateful to the Panel and its Chair, Nerys Llewelyn Jones, for their considerable efforts in bringing the new wages order forward.