Welfare minister Lord Freud has apologised for "foolish and offensive" remarks in which he suggested people with disabilities could be paid less than the minimum wage.

Labour has called on the Conservative peer to resign after he said some workers were "not worth the full wage". David Cameron distanced himself from the comments, saying they "were not the views of anyone in government". Lord Freud said he was "profoundly sorry" and supported the minimum wage. The row dominated the first Prime Minister's Questions after the conference recess, with Ed Miliband saying the comments demonstrated the Conservatives' "worst instincts".In response, the prime minister said he "did not need lectures from anybody about looking after disabled people" and urged the Labour leader not "to cast aspersions".

Lord Freud's comments came during a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference last month when he was asked whether it was preferable for someone with a disability, who could not get a job, to be paid less than the minimum wage - and to have their income topped up with benefits - in order to give them the experience of work and boost their self esteem.

'£2 an hour'

In response to the question, from Conservative councillor David Scott, he reportedly said there "was no system for going below the minimum wage".....Read more here