I couldn't live on our £4.87 an hour pay..

Low wages blast as Tories told to close maritime loophole

- GRAHAM HISCOTT

THE boss of scandal-hit P&O Ferries admitted he couldn't live on the £4.87 an hour some of its workers are paid.

Peter Hebblethwaite appeared before MPs yesterday, two years after the firm fired 786 crew in a video call and replaced them with cheaper, low-paid agency workers.

The UK minimum wage rose to £11.44 an hour last month. But the rate does not apply to maritime workers employed by an overseas agency who work on ships which are foreign-registered in international waters.

The Government promised to close the pay loophole for maritime workers in UK waters two years ago. But legislation addressing it has still not become active.

Mr Hebblethwaite confirmed previous analysis of payslips that showed P&O agency workers have, in some cases, been earning about £4.87 an hour.