HC Deb 14 March 1989 vol 149 cc177-85W
8. Mr. Parry

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom in the latest available year.

Mr. Cope

A total of 8.7 per cent. of the establishments on the wages inspectorate's register, covering 329,591 workers (an estimated 13.1 per cent.) were inspected in 1988. If the hon. Gentleman wishes I will arrange for divisional figures to be published in theOfficial Report.

19. Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Wales.

Mr. Nicholls

There is no such thing as a Council of Europe decency threshold for a minimum acceptable level of earnings.

23. Mr. Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the west midlands.

Mr. Nicholls

There is no such thing as a Council of Europe decency threshold for a minimum acceptable level of earnings.

27. Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the Wales.

38. Mr. Clelland

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.

44. Mr. Eadie

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Scotland.

49. Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the west midlands.

67. Mr. Allan Roberts

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Great Britain.

73. Ms. Mowlam

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.

110. Mr. Cummings

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the northern region.

125. Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in(a) Great Britain and (b) the north-west region.

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Mr. David Young

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of the full-time workforce earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Great Britain.

Mr. Nicholls

I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) on 8 March 1989 at columns569–70.

28. Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.

53. Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Great Britain.

54. Mr. Graham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Scotland.

71. Mr. David Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the south-east.

79. Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Wales.

98. Mr. Bidwell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Greater London.

104. Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the east midlands.

106. Mr. Rowlands

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Wales.

114. Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Greater London.

131. Miss Lestor

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the north-west.

155. Mr. Nigel Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in Scotland.

163. Mr. Clay

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the northern region.

173. Mr. Sean Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the north-west.

176. Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the east midlands.

182. Mr. Ronnie Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the northern region.

Mr. Nicholls

I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Glasgow, Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) on 8 March 1989 at columns569–70.

31. Mr. Eastham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work places were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom.

39. Mr. Corbett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work places were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom.

70. Dr. Reid

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work places were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom.

75. Mr. Ashton

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work places were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the east midlands.

92. Mr. Heffer

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work places were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the north-west.

130. Mr. O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Yorkshire and Humberside.

137. Mr. Bernie Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Greater London.

158. Mr. Ted Garrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying, for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the northern region.

172. Ms. Gordon

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Greater London.

174. Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the east midlands.

175. Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the north-west.

Mr. Nicholls

Wages inspectorate statistics for Great Britain are not compiled for areas smaller than the inspectorate's nine divisions. The number of workplaces visited in 1988 for the purpose of checking pay and the number where underpayments were found was included in a reply given in theOfficial Report of 1 March at columns 201–26. The number of workplaces visited in 1988 for advisory purposes was:

Number
London 10
South East 9
Eastern 10
South West 69
Midlands 103
North West 33
Yorkshire and Humberside 25
Northern 5
Scotland 29

Northern Ireland has a separate wages council system which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but it is understood that in 1988, 944 workplaces were visited and 112 were found to have underpaid one or more workers.

33. Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the north west.

37. Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.

57. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.

65. Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the south-east.

102. Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the west midlands.

111. Mr. Bell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the northern region.

136. Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the west midlands.

180. Mr. Pendry

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of the full-time work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the north-west.

Mr. Nicholls

I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Glasgow, Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) on 8 March 1989 at columns569–70.

45. Ms. Quin

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the northern region in the latest available year.

46. Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed in the most recent year for which figures are available on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the north-west.

55. Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom in the latest available year.

78. Mr. Lofthouse

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom in the latest available year.

97. Mr. Strang

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering Scotland in the latest available year.

100. Mr. Snape

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the west midlands in the latest available year for which figures are available.

101. Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering Yorkshire and Humberside in the latest available year.

113. Mr. Mullin

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the northern region in the latest available year.

1224. Mr. Callaghan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the north-west in the latest year for which figures are available.

128. Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering Scotland in the latest available year.

139. Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering Wales in the latest available year.

161. Mr. Buckley (Hemsworth)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering Wales in the latest available year.

177. Mr. Ray Powell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be illegally underpaying within the wages inspectorate divisions covering the east midlands within the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Nicholls

Wages inspectorate statistics are not kept for areas smaller than the inspectorate's nine divisions. The average total fine on employers prosecuted for underpayment in 1988 is given for each of the divisions 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 there were no prosecutions.

Division Average fine
£
London No Prosecutions
South East 200
Eastern 750
South West 150
Midlands 150
North West 215
Yorkshire and Humberside 350
Northern No Prosecutions
Scotland No Prosecutions
Wales 1100
Great Britain 328
1 Wales figures are also included in the Inspectorate's North West and South West divisional statistics.

51. Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentages of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions in the south-east in the most recent year for which figures are available.

81. Mr. McTaggart

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Scotland.

91. Mr. Jack Thompson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom in the latest available year.

108. Mr. John Garrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering East Anglia in the latest available year.

109. Mr. Alfred Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the north-west in the latest available year.

117. Mr. Foot

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Wales in the latest available year.

121. Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the north-west in the latest available year.

126. Mr. Ron Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available.

153. Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the northern region in the latest available year.

166. Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the west midlands in the latest available year.

178. Mr. Flannery

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Yorkshire and Humberside.

Mr. Nicholls

Wages inspectorate statistics are not compiled for areas smaller than the wages inspectorate's nine divisions. The percentage of workplaces known to the inspectorate which was checked in each division of Great Britain in 1988 was:

Per cent.
London 6.6
South East 6.2
Eastern 15.1
South West 7.3
Midlands 8.6
North West 7.9
Yorkshire and Humberside 9.5
Northern 8.2
Scotland 9.6
Wales1 7.7
1 Wales figures are also included in the inspectorate's south west and north west divisional statistics.

Northern Ireland has a separate wages council system which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but it is understood that in 1988, 13.6 per cent. of workplaces known to the inspectorate were checked.

No information is available on the percentage of workers in each wages inspectorate division whose pay was checked because statistical returns of the number of workers employed in establishments covered by wages councils are not collected. However, in 1988 an estimated 2,472,400 workers aged 21 and over were employed in establishments covered by wages councils in Great Britain and checks covered 11 per cent. of that total. In 1987 an estimated 36,065 workers aged 21 and over were employed in establishments covered by wages councils in Northern Ireland and in 1988 checks covered 18 per cent. of that total.

62. Mr. Ron Davies

To 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 Wales.

68. Mr. Allen McKay

To 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.

84. Mr. Dunnachie

To 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.

122. Mr. McWilliam

To 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 northern region.

154. Mr. Faulds

To 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 west midlands.

179. Mr. Leadbitter

To 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 northern region.

181. Mr. Terry Fields

To 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 north-west.

Mr. Nicholls

Wages inspectorate statistics on compliance with wages orders are compiled on the basis of establishments rather than employers and are not kept for areas smaller than a wages inspectorate division. With those provisos, the information requested is 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.

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 —
Great Britain 5,597 10
Wales1 446 1
1 Wales figures are also included in the inspectorate's south-west and north-west divisional statistics.

140. Mr. Rooker

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many West Midlands employers have been prosecuted by his Department's wages inspectorate in the past three years for underpaying wages; how many were found guilty; and what was the average level of fines imposed.

Mr. Nicholls

Wages inspectorate statistics are not kept for areas smaller than the inspectorate's nine divisions. In the three years from 1986 to 1988, two employers in the midlands were prosecuted for offences which included underpayment. Both prosecutions were successful. The average total fine imposed by the courts was £125.

Mr. Nicholls

I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Glasgow, Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) on 8 March 1989 at column569–70.