Employment Bill [Lords]

I welcome the elements of the Bill that deal with dispute resolution, and especially the provisions that cover the national minimum wage. However, I join the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes) in expressing concern about not reaching many amendments about the minimum wage. Any Bill's implementation must be properly resourced. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has continuing concerns about the number of officers who are required and have been recruited so far to implement the minimum wage provisions. Earlier this year, the Minister promised us that there would be at least 20 extra officers and a 50 per cent. increase in expenditure on enforcement. I understand that those 20 officers have not been recruited so far. At best, we are up to 17, possibly 18, this week. Some—at least 10—are staff who are already in post, so there seems to be an element of double counting. I am therefore worried about whether there are adequate resources to implement the Bill. Although the minimum wage provisions are welcome, they go nowhere far enough in some sectors of industry to address the genuine problems of low pay. I deeply regret not reaching the amendments about the minimum wage for seafarers. Let me remind hon. Members of the implications of that. On the vessel ““Daroja””, owned by Marlow Navigation, which sails between Aberdeen and Lerwick, a Filipino worker is paid £295 a month. On the AHTS Survarna, an Indian seaman is paid £1.63 an hour. That is not acceptable.