HC Deb 05 April 1982 vol 21 cc225-9W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many wages inspectors have been employed in Scotland in each of the past three years; and how many other inspectorate staff have been employed.

Mr. Alison

The numbers of outdoor wages inspectors and other inspectorate staff employed in Scotland in each of the past three years were as follows:

Outdoor in-spectors Other staff
1 September 1979 15 13½
1 September 1980 15 12½
1 September 1981 10 11

1979 1980 1981
Number of establishments inspected by visit 3,724 3,847 2,443
Number of establishments inspected found to be underpaying 1,307 1,437 1,085
Percentage of establishments inspected found to be underpaying 35.1% 37.4% 44.4%
Total arrears recovered* £180,732 £287,969 £243,912
* Including holiday remuneration.

At present there are 13 posts for outdoor inspectors and 10½ posts for other staff in Scotland.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms subject to wages council orders have been inspected in each of the past three years in Scotland; how many and what percentage have been found to be paying below wages council rates; and what was the total amount of arrears recovered in each year.

Mr. Alison

The information requested for Scotland is as follows:

As the establishments selected for inspection by visit by the Wages Inspectorate are not a representative sample, the above figures cannot be taken as typical of wages council trades as a whole in Scotland.

Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table for Scotland with reference to the industries covered by wages councils showing the following figures for 1981: (a) the number and percentage of wages council firms inspected and found to be in contravention of wages council orders, (b) the numbers and percentage of workers inspected and affected and (c) the number of workers paid arrears and the amount of arrears recovered.

Mr. Alison

Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the following figures are available for inspections by visit which were completed in 1981 by the Wages Inspectorate in Scotland.

Number of establishments inspected at which underpayments were found 1,085
Percentage of establishments inspected at which underpayments were found 44.4 per cent.
Number of workers examined 13,453
Percentage of workers examined and found to be underpaid 19.9 per cent.
Number of workers paid arrears 2,673
Amount of arrears recovered *† £243,912
* Including holiday remuneration.
† A further £28,288 in respect of 132 workers were assessed as being due,

but were not collected because the workers decided not to accept all or part of the amount due or because the arrears could not be collected owing to bankruptcy, etc.

The figures quoted above cannot be regarded as representative of wages council trades in Scotland as the inspectorate tends to concentrate its resources on areas where underpayments are likely to occur.

Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each wages council the weekly wage laid down for young persons of 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 years, respectively, and in each case what this represents as a percentage of the single person's rate of supplementary benefit.

Mr. Alison

I regret that a full reply could only be given at disproportionate cost.

Weekly Minimum Rates, 1 1 April 1982 (as percentage of supplementary benefit rates 2)
Council Age of Worker
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Category of worker under 17 £s 17 and under 18 £s 18 and under 19 £s 19 and under 20 £s 20 and over £s
Retail non-food3
Skilled assistant 37.50(222) 43.75 (260) 53.13(251) 62.50(295) as col. 4
Licensed residential establishment etc.
Service worker 39.20(233) 41.80(248) 52.20(247) as col. 3 as col. 3
Other worker 46.20(274) 49.20(292) 61.60(291) as col. 3 as col. 3
Retail food and allied trades3
General assistant 39.05(232) 44.75(266) 52.45(248) 62.00(293) as col. 4
Licensed non-residential etc.
Bar Staff 48.40(287) as col. 1 60.50(286) as col. 3 as col. 3
Clothing manufacturing4
Other worker 535.98(213) 644.26(263) 57.14(270) as col. 3 as col. 3
Hairdressing undertakings"7
Hairdresser 27.50(163) 31.00(184) 42.00(198) 49.00(232) 53.00(250)
Unlicensed place of refreshment
Other worker 36.73(218) 42.38(251) 56.50(267) as col. 3 as col. 3
Waiter/waitress 36.02(214) 41.56(247) 55.41(262) as col. 3 as col. 3

Notes:

1 The rates given apply outside London.

2 Figures in brackets show the minimum rates as percentages of the rates of supplementary benefit for non-householders (including the housing addition of £2.55) ie £16.85 for persons aged under 18 and £21.15 for persons aged 18 and over as appropriate. The supplementary benefit scale rate for a person living alone which does not vary with age, is £23.25. Housing costs are normally in full.

3 Rates proposed to take effect from 5 April 1982.

4 Rates shown are for women's dressmaking sector (E & W).

5 Rate for workers' under 16½.

6 Rate for workers' aged 17 and under 17½.

7 Rates shown for (1) 1st year apprentice,

(2) 2nd year apprentice,

(3) Senior apprentice,

(4) Operative hairdresser, first year,

(5) Operative hairdresser, second year,

and are those proposed to take effect from 12 April 1982.