Wages Council Factory Inspectors (Hansard, 23 November 1982)

§ 5. Mr. Eastham
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many Department of Employment wages council factory inspectors there are.

§ The Minister of State, Department of Employment (Mr. Michael Alison)
On 1 September 1982 there were 116 outdoor inspectors and 13 senior wages inspectors in post.

§ Mr. Eastham
As 12 months ago there were 177 factory inspectors, can the reduction be construed as meaning that the Government are encouraging firms to pay less than starvation wages and to break the law? Are the Government not ashamed that they are returning the nation to the 1930s?

§ Mr. Alison
No. The hon. Gentleman cannot draw that conclusion. The number of inspectors has been reduced, but the efficiency of the inspectorate has increased.

§ Mr. Radice
Is the Minister aware that the reduction in the number of inspectors has led to fewer inspections and the highest level of underpayment ever recorded? Does he understand that, far from encouraging employment, as the Government claim, they have given the green light to Scrooge-like employers?

§ Mr. Alison
The hon. Gentleman gave the answer to his own question. I agree that there are fewer inspections. However, more establishments have been found to be in breach, which means that the inspections were deliberately focused on the places where the shortfalls were most likely to be found.