§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the establishment figures and the actual numbers in post for outdoor wages inspectors and other inspectorate staff at March 1983, and at March of each year since 1978; if there are any plans for these numbers to be changed within the foreseeable future; and what are the expected future numbers.
§ Mr. AlisonFigures for March are not readily available. The following figures relate to October in the years requested and to the latest available date in 1983.
Outdoor inspectors Other inspectorate staff Authorised posts Staff in post Authorised posts Staff in post October 1978 153 143 145½ 134 October 1979 177 158 143½ 131 October 1980 177 155 143½ 125½ October 1981 119 117½ 102½ 110½ October 1982 120 116 101½ 95 January 1983 120 119 101½ 97 There are no present plans to change the size of the inspectorate.
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§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how often it is expected that a firm may be visited and inspected by the wages inspectorate if inspections are carried out on a routine basis.
§ Mr. AlisonRoutine inspections are a fluctuating element of the work of the wages inspectorate and it is not possible to estimate the frequency with which any particular firm may be visited.
§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many investigations by the wages inspectorate in 1982 resulted in (a) prosecution and (b) conviction; and what was the amount of fines which ensued.
§ Mr. AlisonIn 1982, seven employers were prosecuted for offences under the Wages Councils Act 1979. All were convicted and the fines imposed totalled £1,425.