§ David CairnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) penalties and (b) cautions have been issued against employers who have not complied with the national minimum wage in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland. [25435]
§ Alan JohnsonSince the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999, national minimum wage compliance officers have issued the following number of penalty and enforcement notices:
Penalty notices Enforcement notices UK 90 362 Scotland 24 38 An enforcement notice requires an employer to start paying the national minimum wage and also to make up any past failure to pay the minimum wage. If an employer fails to comply with the enforcement notice, compliance officers can then issue a penalty notice which imposes a financial penalty equal to twice the hourly rate of the main national minimum wage rate (i.e. twice £4.10) per worker affected for every day that the enforcement notice is ignored.