§ Mr. Wainwrightasked the Paymaster General if, pursuant to his answer of 5 May, Official Report, columns 333–40, he will state how many court actions were taken by the Wages Inspectorate against employers in 1986, distinguishing between criminal prosecutions and claims for arrears, showing the number of successful actions together with the arrears assessed and the arrears paid; if he will provide a breakdown of the figures in tables 3 and 4 showing checks made on a routine basis and those arising from a complaint, distinguishing between visits and questionnaire checks; and if he will provide information showing the number of establishments found to be in breach of any obligation under the Wages Act and predecessor legislation, indicating the nature of the breach and distinguishing, as far as possible, by sector and region.
§ Mr. LeeIn 1986 the inspectorate took criminal prosecutions against three employers. All were successful.
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Table A—Trades covered by wages councils and results of pay checks by type of check—1986 Workers whose pay was checked Workers underpaid Arrears paid Arrears waived Arrears not pursued Total arrears assessed £ £ £ £ Aerated waters Routine checks by visit 666 — — — — — Routine checks not visited 2,524 — — — — — Complaints 32 1 46 — — 46 Totals 3,212 1 46 — — 46 Clothing manufacture Routine checks by visit 12,766 355 17,182 923 3,630 21,735 Routine checks not visited 1,684 — — — — — Complaints 2,938 587 40,271 2,024 31,848 74,143 Totals 17,388 942 57,453 2,947 35,478 95,878 Boot and shoe repairing Routine checks by visit 428 17 2,841 474 321 3,636 Routine checks not visited 71 — — — — — Complaints 19 10 1,310 — 140 1,450 Totals 518 27 4,151 474 461 5,086 Button manufacturing Routine checks by visit 160 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 4 — — — — — Totals 164 — — — — — Coffin furniture and cerement making Routine checks by visit 28 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 3 1 20 — — 20 Totals 31 1 20 — — 20 Cotton waste reclamation Routine checks by visit 39 — — — —. — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints — — — — — — Totals 39 — — — — — Flax and hemp Routine checks by visit 34 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints — — — — — — Totals 34 — — — — — The total arrears assessed as due to the workers concerned was £1,996.66 and £811.94 was awarded by the courts. I understand that the sums due have not yet been paid in full in all cases. The arrangements for payment are, however, a matter for the court. No civil proceedings to recover arrears were taken by the inspectorate in 1986.
The breakdown requested of the relevant figures in tables 3 and 4 in the Official Report for 5 May, at columns 333–40, is given in tables A and B respectively. Routine postal questionnaire checks were restricted to the two retail trades and hairdressing. Where the employer's reply was not satisfactory or no reply was received, a visit was carried out. Such visits are included in the figures in the tables for routine checks by visit.
Tables C and D give the information requested about the nature of breaches of wages council legislation found in 1986.
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Workers whose pay was checked Workers underpaid Arrears paid Arrears waived Arrears not pursued Total arrears assessed £ £ £ £ Fur Routine checks by visit 145 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 8 3 522 — — 522 Totals 153 3 522 — — 522 General waste materials reclamation Routine checks by visit 1,409 6 96 — — 96 Routine checks not visited 26 — — — — — Complaints 66 9 1,051 226 212 1,489 Totals 1,501 15 1,147 226 212 1,585 Hairdressing undertakings Routine checks by visit 5,226 375 37,680 7,274 2,658 47,612 Routine checks not visited 153 — — — — — Complaints 2,220 739 87,140 19,966 15,469 122,575 Questionnaire checks not visited 3,950 — — — — — Totals 11,549 1,114 124,820 27,240 18,127 170,187 Hat, Cap and Millinery Routine checks by visit 607 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints — — — — — — Totals 607 — — — — — Lace finishing Routine checks by visit 22 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 1 1 43 — — 43 Totals 23 1 43 — — 43 Laundry Routine checks by visit 1,843 32 2,925 1,125 — 4,050 Routine checks not visited 512 — — — — — Complaints 122 34 2,758 — 4,481 7,239 Totals 2,477 66 5,683 1,125 4,481 11,289 Linen and Cotton Handkerchief Routine checks by visit 154 1 15 — — 15 Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 37 9 600 — — 600 Totals 191 10 615 — — 615 Made-up Textiles Routine checks by visit 463 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 4 2 157 — — 157 Totals 467 2 157 — — 157 Ostrich and fancy feather Routine checks by visit 192 1 48 — — 48 Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints — — — — — — Totals 192 1 48 — — 48 Perambulator and invalid carriage Routine checks by visit 127 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints — — — — — — Totals 127 — — — — — Retail bespoke tailoring Routine checks by visit 161 3 348 — — 348 316W
Workers whose pay was checked Workers underpaid Arrears paid Arrears waived Arrears not pursued Total arrears assessed £ £ £ £ Routine checks not visited 13 — — — — — Complaints 16 7 2,002 — 136 2,138 Totals 190 10 2,350 — 136 2,486 Rope, twine and net Routine checks by visit 189 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints — — — — — — Totals 189 — — — — — Sack and bag Routine checks by visit 48 — — — — — Routine checks not visited — — — — — — Complaints 4 4 263 — — 263 Totals 52 4 263 — — 263 Toy manufacturing Routine checks by visit 492 6 201 — — 201 Routine checks not visited 29 — — — — — Complaints 23 17 615 — 301 916 Totals 544 23 816 — 301 1,117 Retail non-food trades Routine checks by visit 16,452 1,729 173,018 62,827 34,131 269,976 Routine checks not visited 33,157 — — — — — Complaints 2,522 1,053 188,282 36,829 49,835 274,946 Questionnaire checks not visited 6,247 — — — — — Totals 58,378 2,782 361,300 99,656 83,966 544,922 Retail food and allied trades Routine checks by visit 17,100 2,628 201,277 101,169 22,160 324,606 Routine checks not visited 30,947 — — — — — Complaints 3,431 1,657 222,525 49,750 77,532 3,49,807 Questionnaire checks not visited 6,803 — — — — — Totals 58,281 4,285 423,802 150,919 99,692 674,413 Licensed non-residential Routine checks by visit 27,273 1,665 117,602 34,415 12,783 164,800 Routine checks not visited 17,564 — — — — — Complaints 3,861 991 152,378 18,495 33,622 204,495 Totals 48,698 2,656 269,980 52,910 46,405 369,295 Licensed residential and restaurant Routine checks by visit 20,397 731 52,131 24,301 9,978 86,410 Routine checks not visited 18,706 — — — — — Complaints 10,354 1,639 174,864 9,041 29,953 213,858 Totals 49,457 2,370 226,995 33,342 39,931 300,268 Unlicensed place of refreshment Routine checks by visit 6,028 678 49,571 30,558 6,545 86,674 Routine checks not visited 9,765 — — — — — Complaints 1,256 542 58,653 8,304 13,271 80,228 Totals 17,049 1,220 108,224 38,862 19,816 166,902 Great Britain Routine checks by visit 112,439 8,227 654,935 263,066 92,206 1,010,207 Routine checks not visited 115,151 — — — — — Complaints 26,921 7,306 933,500 144,635 256,800 1,334,935 Questionnaire checks not visited 17,000 — — — — — Totals 271,511 15,533 1,588,435 407,701 349,006 2,345,142