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517365

registered interest
date	04/05/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2016 to Question 26319, what the total amount of arrears recovered by HM Revenue and Customs for non-compliance with the national minimum wage was in 2015-16; how many (a) workers and (b) employers those arrears were related to; and how many of those employers (i) received a financial penalty and (ii) have been named and shamed for that non-compliance.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	36447
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2016 answer text <p>In 2015-16 the Government recovered almost £10.3m of arrears for over 58,000 workers, from 958 employers. 813 of these employers were issued with a Notice of Underpayment (NoU) and had to pay a penalty.</p><p>In 2015/16, the Government named 280 employers. However, not all cases are put forward for naming, in particular:</p><p>- Where an investigation commenced before the advent of the naming scheme.</p><p>- Where an employer self-corrected the arrears and paid back to workers.</p><p>- Where the arrears owed were £100 or less.</p><p>- Where a case is being considered for criminal prosecution.</p><p>Furthermore, employers are not named at the point when a NoU is issued. Under the National Minimum Wage regulations, employers have 28 days to appeal against an NoU. They then have a further 14 days to make representations to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills against being named. Some of the cases identified in 2015-16 will therefore be considered for naming in future rounds.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 10/05/2016 13:39:07 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

516552

registered interest
date	28/04/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will name those businesses that are known to have changed the terms and conditions of their low-paid workers in order to recover some of the costs of paying an increased minimum wage; and what steps they plan to take to discourage businesses from taking such steps.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL8064
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2016 answer text <p>The Government believes that it is essential for employers to ensure that their reward packages are competitive, in order to retain and develop the staff who are fundamental to their success. In a growing economy, the National Living Wage should represent an opportunity to invest in talented staff and improve productivity.</p><p>The Government does not plan to operate a formal scheme to name employers who change employees’ terms and conditions. But we will continue to be clear that reducing wider remuneration packages and blaming the National Living Wage is short-sighted and not in the spirit of the introduction of the National Living Wage.</p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 12/05/2016 10:18:59 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

514706

registered interest
date	21/04/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to his oral contribution of 18 April 2016, Official Report, column 712, on the national minimum wage, how many of the employers who approached his Department and requested not to be named and shamed for breaking national minimum legislation were named and shamed.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	35040
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2016 answer text <p>Since the naming scheme began we have named 490 employers and received 107 representations from employers asking not to be named. Of these 107 employers 85 were ultimately named.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 29/04/2016 13:45:33 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 57685 answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

514707

registered interest
date	21/04/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to his oral contribution of 18 April 2016, Official Report, column 712, on the national minimum wage, what correspondence his Department has received from employers asking not to be named and shamed for breach of the legislation in each year since that approach was implemented.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	35041
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2016 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Since the naming scheme began we have received 107 representations from employers asking not to be named: 1 in 2013, 35 in 2014 and 71 in 2015.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 29/04/2016 13:39:39 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 57687 answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

506315

registered interest
date	08/04/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that workers are not financially worse off as a result of the recent increase in the minimum wage.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	33245
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>On current Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts a full-time National Minimum Wage (NMW) worker will earn over £4,200 more by 2020 from the National Living Wage (NLW) in cash terms. 2.9m low wage workers are expected to benefit directly, and up to 6m in total could see their pay rise as a result of a ripple effect up the earnings distribution.</p><p>What is allowed to be deducted from a salary is tightly controlled. The Government enforces this robustly, and is bolstering its resources to bear down on non-compliance through further increasing HMRC’s NMW/NLW enforcement budget for 2016/17.</p><p>Employers can choose to set and change the overall, wider remuneration level as long as they are paying at or above the NMW / NLW minima, but they will also need to consider whether that package, overall, remains competitive to retain and develop the people and talent they need for their businesses.</p><p>The Government has also taken measures to support businesses. First, from April 2016, the Government has increased the employment allowance from £2,000 to £3,000 from April 2016. We are also cutting corporation tax from 20% to 17% by the end of the Parliament, which will benefit over a million firms of all sizes and give the UK the lowest rate of corporation tax in the G20. The cuts since 2010 will be worth almost £15bn a year to businesses by the end of Parliament. Furthermore, the Government is cutting the burden of business rates by £6.7 billion over the next 5 years.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 18/04/2016 15:15:24 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

485494

registered interest
date	23/03/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to respond to the recommendation in the Low Pay Commission's Spring 2016 report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) that HM Revenue and Customs investigation of third party reports of NMW breaches be subject to a public protocol.
tabling member constituency	Gateshead
tabling member printed	Ian Mearns
uin	32327
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2016 answer text <p>The Government is carefully considering the non-rate recommendations in the Low Pay Commission Spring 2016, and will respond in due course.<em> </em></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 14/04/2016 16:24:43 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4000 label Biography information for Ian Mearns

484450

registered interest
date	22/03/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress his Department has made on implementing its plans to impose financial penalties of up to £20,000 per worker against companies who fail to pay the national minimum wage.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	32089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2016 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>From 26 May 2015, the maximum penalty for underpayment of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) increased from £20,000 per notice of underpayment (NoU) to £20,000 per worker.</p><p> </p><p>From 1 April 2016 the penalty has been increased to 200% of the total underpayment for all of the workers specified in a NoU. By increasing penalties for underpayment of the NMW it is intended that employers, who could otherwise be tempted to underpay, comply with the law and working people receive the money they are legally due. The maximum penalty will remain at £20,000 per worker.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 14/04/2016 16:20:43 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 54589 answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

479496

registered interest
date	17/03/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which companies have failed to pay the national minimum wage since the introduction of the new naming and shaming regulations on 1 October 2013.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	31589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Since the introduction of the revised naming and shaming scheme, details of employers who have failed to pay the National Minimum Wage have been published on gov.uk. Details can be found via the following links:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-february-2016" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-february-2016</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-october-2015" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed-october-2015</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed</a> (July 2015)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-minimum-wage-offenders-named-and-shamed</a> (March 2015)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-and-shames-largest-ever-number-of-national-minimum-wage-offenders" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-and-shames-largest-ever-number-of-national-minimum-wage-offenders</a> (February 2015)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-and-shames-37-national-minimum-wage-offenders" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-and-shames-37-national-minimum-wage-offenders</a> (January 2015)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-the-national-minimum-wage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-the-national-minimum-wage</a> (November 2014)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-minimum-wage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-minimum-wage</a> (June 2014)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-gets-tough-with-employers-failing-to-pay-minimum-wage" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-gets-tough-with-employers-failing-to-pay-minimum-wage</a> (February 2014)</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 23/03/2016 16:38:17 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles previous answer version 52916 answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

459289

registered interest
date	10/03/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2016 to Question 26318, what the reasons are for the differences between the total amount of arrears owed by the 92 employers named and shamed by his Department on 5 February 2016 for non-compliance with the national minimum wage and the total amount of the financial penalties imposed on those employers; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	30640
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2016 answer text <p>Penalties are calculated based on the value of arrears on the Notice of Underpayment issued by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) but vary according to the penalty regime in place at the time underpayments took place and how quickly the employer pays back arrears to the worker.</p><p> </p><p>The rate at which penalties are calculated has increased twice since the beginning of the naming scheme, demonstrating our continued commitment to the enforcement of minimum wage law:</p><p> </p><ul><li>For underpayments which occurred before 7 March 2014, the penalty rate was set at 50% of arrears owed;</li><li>For underpayments which occurred on or after 7 March 2014, the rate was set at 100% of arrears owed;</li><li>From April 2016, underpayments will result in penalties set at 200% of arrears owed.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The amount at which penalties are capped has also increased. Before 7 March 2014 penalties were capped at £5,000 per employer. The Government increased the cap to £20,000, and began to apply it on a per-worker basis from 26 May 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Currently, an employer who pays back arrears within 14 days of receiving a Notice of Underpayment from HMRC are subject to a 50% penalty rate, which incentivises quick repayment of the money owed to employees. After penalties are doubled to 200% of arrears in April, this prompt payment rate will also double to 100% of arrears.</p><p> </p><p>Of the 92 employers named on 5 February, 66 paid back the arrears they owed within 14 days, and were therefore subject to a reduced penalty rate.</p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 16/03/2016 12:01:40 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

458396

registered interest
date	08/03/2016
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many businesses have been (a) charged with and (b) successfully prosecuted for non-payment of the minimum wage in each year from the minimum wage coming into force up to 2010.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	30267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2016 answer text <p>Prosecution is reserved for the most serious cases. In most cases the Government applies civil sanctions, of up to £20,000 per worker, which are appropriate in the great majority of cases, and ensure a worker is paid back the arrears they are owed as quickly as possible. There is no guarantee that prosecution will result in arrears being paid back to the workers.</p><p>With the agreement of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, HMRC started considering prosecution for minimum wage offences from May 2006. The first prosecution for an offence under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 took place in 2007. Table 1 sets out the number of NMW prosecutions in each year since this date, all of which were successful.</p><p><strong>Table 1: Successful NMW prosecutions </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Number of NMW prosecutions</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 20/04/2016 14:45:40 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady