§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what estimates he has made of the effect of his proposed reduced staffing levels in the Wages Inspectorate on (a) the annual recovery of arrears from employers for employees suffering under-payment of statutory minimum wage rates and conditions and (b) the number of prosecutions brought by the Wages Inspectorate;
(2) what discussions he has had with the chairmen or other members of wages councils about his proposed cuts in Wages Inspectorate staffing levels;
(3) what is the reduction in the level of inspection by the Wages Inspectorate which he now proposes;
(4) what are the establishment figures respectively for wages inspectors and for other Wages Inspectorate staff at 1 May 1979, 1 December 1979, 1 December 1980; and what reduction he proposes to make respectively in these staffing levels and by which date.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.