§ 12. Mr. ArcherTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought under part II of the Wages Act 1986 in the last period of 12 months for which figures are available.
§ Mr. ForthIn the 12 months ending 30 November 1990, there were nine prosecutions under part II of the Wages Act 1986.
§ Mr. ArcherIs the Minister aware of the report, "Crime without Punishment", by the Low Pay Unit, which reveals that there is fewer than one inspector per 5,000 establishments, that in 1989 fewer than 9 per cent. were visited in any way, and that of those visited more than a third failed to keep adequate records and nearly one third were paying rates below the statutory minimum? Is that an example of the Government's dedication to law enforcement?
§ Mr. ForthI wonder what the right hon. and learned Gentleman's dedication to the proceedings of Parliament is. We have already dealt with this question on 13 November in oral questions, on 22 October in an Adjournment debate, and in another place on 16 October. Opposition Members will therefore forgive me if I repeat to the right hon. and learned Gentleman what I have told his hon. Friends before—that we are not relying on a policy of prosecutions to make the work of the wages councils effective. We are relying, as the Labour Government did when they were in office, on a policy of information and guidance which we believe will be more effective. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman is interested only in prosecutions—knowing his background, I hope that he is not—I can tell him that the number of new prosecutions now being undertaken is almost exactly the same as it was under the Labour Government of which he was a member.
§ Mr. DickensDoes my hon. Friend agree that it does not necessarily follow that, because there have been no prosecutions, it is down to the inspectors? In this day and age, people are more informed of their rights. If employees 809 are worried about the implications of the Wages Act, why can they not write letters to people who can deal with that? I assume that people are happy with the way in which the Act is working.
§ Mr. ForthMy hon. Friend is right. In his usual caring and compassionate way, he has put his finger on the answer. Working people are free, and should feel free, to inform the authorities whenever they believe that a violation is taking place. I share my hon. Friend's confidence that working people are fully capable of doing that.