§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers were found to be illegally underpaying and how many of them were prosecuted in the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. NichollsThe information is not available in the precise form requested because wages inspectorate statistics about compliance with wages orders are compiled on the basis of establishments rather than employers. With that proviso, the figures in respect of the wages inspectorate divisions covering Great Britain are given in the following table.
Northern Ireland has a separate wages council system which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but I understand that in 1988 112 establishments were found to be underpaying. There were no prosecutions.
Division Establishments found to be underpaying in 1988 Prosecutions for underpayment in 1988 London 317 — South East 537 1 Eastern 462 2 South West 1,156 2 Midlands 747 1 North West 869 2 Yorkshire and Humberside 631 2 Northern 369 — Scotland 509 — Totals 5,597 10