§ Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employers, broken down by size of firm, have been fined for paying less than the minimum wage. [122534]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonThe National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act provides for officers to issue a financial penalty against an employer who does not comply with an enforcement notice. So far, 141 enforcement notices have been issued. Only one of these has required follow up action with a penalty notice fining the employer for each day of non-compliance with the enforcement notice. The company concerned employs between 0–10 people.
It is also a criminal offence to refuse or wilfully neglect to pay the NMW. So far it has not been necessary to use these criminal powers, though we will do so in appropriate circumstances.