§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the powers of his Department to monitor and enforce the payment of statutory sick pay.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Department's inspectors monitor payment of statutory sick pay by visiting employers and inspecting the relevant records. Authority for such inspections is contained in section 19 of the Social Security and Housing Benefits Act 1982. The powers relating to the failure to pay statutory sick pay are contained in regulations 9 and 22 of the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982 and section 16 of the Social Security and Housing Benefits Act 1982.
§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken recently to ensure that payments of statutory sick pay are paid by employers.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe Department's inspectors visit employers to establish that the statutory sick pay scheme is being operated correctly. Following introduction of the new scheme, in April 1983, the aim was to visit as many employers as possible to help with any initial difficulties. More recently the Department has concentrated on visiting employers who have requested help and those whom there 117W is reason to believe are likely to have made mistakes in operating the scheme. Starting this month visits will also be made to a proportion of employers selected randomly.