HC Deb 24 April 1990 vol 171 cc185-6W
Mr, Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil cases were taken by the wages inspectorate in each year since 1979.

Mr, Nicholls

The number of civil cases taken by the wages inspectorate was as follows:

Cases
1979 6
1980 4
1981 4
1982 1
1983 6
1984 4
1985 0
1986 3
1987 1
1988 4
1989 0

Mr.. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many individual workers' complaints were received by the wages inspectorate division; what percentage of workers' lodging individual complaints was found to be underpaid; in those cases where underpayment occurred, what was the amount of arrears(a) assessed, (b) paid and (c) unpaid in each case; how many employees were affected by contravention of wages council legislation in instances where an individual worker complained; and what fines were imposed after prosecution in each case, according to each contravention, in 1989;

(2) what was (a) the total amount of arrears (i) assessed, (ii) paid and (iii) unpaid resulting from individual workers' complaints to the wages inspectorate in each year since 1979 and (b) the number of instances in which individual workers' complaints to the wages inspectorate resulted in criminal prosecution in each year since 1979.

Mr. Nicholls

The number of complaints received by each wages inspectorate division in 1989 is given in the table.

The receipt of a complaint from a worker is only one of a number of circumstances which might cause the wages inspectorate to check the levels of pay at a particular establishment. The results of complaint inspections are not kept separately from the results of inspections which are conducted for other reasons, and the remainder of the information requested is not, therefore, available.

Division Number of complaints received in 1989
London 68
South East 89
Eastern 64
South West 201
Midlands 145
North West 323
Yorkshire and Humberside 138
Northern 147
Scotland 246
Total 1,421

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many wages inspectors are currently in post; and how many are long term sick.

Mr. Nicholls

There are currently 68 inspectors in post in Great Britain. Three are absent due to sickness which has lasted for three weeks or more.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what proportion of instances, in which a worker makes an individual complaint to the wages inspectorate, the complaint results in a visit by the wages inspectorate; in those instances in which a visit occurs, what is the average length of time between receipt of the complaint and the visit; and in those instances in which under payment is uncovered, what is the average length of time between the visit and the issue of a schedule of arrears to the employer.

Mr. Nicholls

The specific information requested is not available.

All complaints made to the wages inspectorate result in a visit by an inspector, unless it is obvious from the information given by the worker at the outset that the complaint is groundless.

Complaints are given priority over all checking work and inspectors endeavour to complete inspection action, including the issue of an assessment of arrears if appropriate, within four weeks.