Wages Inspectorate (Hansard, 9 April 1986)

§ Mr. Nellist
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give for 1985 the information on wages councils for Northern Ireland in the same form as the answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), Official Report, 4 April 1985, columns 779–86.

§ Dr. Boyson
The information requested is given in the following table. In Northern Ireland all checks of pay are made during visits. The amount of arrears assessed and the amount actually paid were the same, No prosecutions or civil proceedings were taken to recover arrears of wages. There are no separate divisions of the Wages Inspectorate in Northern Ireland.

§ Dr. Boyson
In Northern Ireland all pay is checked by a visit. Figures for the number of firms inspected and the number of workers whose pay was checked are not readily available for 1979 and 1980 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. With these exceptions, the information requested is given in the table.
133W
staff, showing separately those who are outdoor inspectors, on an establishment and in post basis, for each year since 1979.

§ Dr. Boyson
Since 1979 there have been in post two outdoor wages inspectors and five other inspectorate staff who also provide the secretariat for the nine wages councils in Northern Ireland. This is the full establishment.

§ Mr. Nellist
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish for 1970, 1974 and 1978 onwards (a) the number of wages councils establishments

1970 1974 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Establishments on Wages Inspectorate register 8,078 6,592 5,958 6,307 5,642 5,419 5,307 5,169 5,126 5,160

Proportion of establishments at which pay was checked by visit n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 36.6 31.2 31.3 29.3 13.8

Proportion of establishments visited found to be underpaying n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. ^*l.7 ^*2.4 ^*2.l ^*3.5 ^*6.3

£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Total arrears assessed 1,583 604 1,314 606 7,242 7,885 35,538 14,361 14,283 26,750

Total arrears paid 1,583 604 1,314 606 7,242 7,885 35,538 14,361 14,283 26,750

^*Per cent.

	1970	1974	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Establishments on Wages Inspectorate register	8,078	6,592	5,958	6,307	5,642	5,419	5,307	5,169	5,126	5,160
Proportion of establishments at which pay was checked by visit	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	36.6	31.2	31.3	29.3	13.8
Proportion of establishments visited found to be underpaying	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	^*l.7	^*2.4	^*2.l	^*3.5	^*6.3
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Total arrears assessed	1,583	604	1,314	606	7,242	7,885	35,538	14,361	14,283	26,750
Total arrears paid	1,583	604	1,314	606	7,242	7,885	35,538	14,361	14,283	26,750
^*Per cent.