Commentary Enforcement officers for the agricultural wages legislation
331.Section 47(1) inserts a new section 11A into the Agricultural Wages Act 1948. Subsections (1) and (2) of new section 11A, as well as continuing to allow the appointment of officials from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, permit officials from other government departments, bodies or ministries to act as agricultural wages officers in England and Wales. Subsection (3) of new section 11A provides that agricultural wages officers must be able to produce a formal document showing that they have the authority to act as officers. Subsection (4) of new section 11A obliges agricultural wages officers to identify themselves as such in certain circumstances.
332.Section 47(2) makes consequential amendments to section 12 of the 1948 Act, removing or substituting wording that would otherwise contradict or duplicate the requirements of new section 11A.
333.Subsection (3) preserves the validity of appointments of agricultural wages officers made prior to the coming into force of the new section 11A. It deems the appointment of officers under the old provisions to have been made under the new section 11A.