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1302387

registered interest
date	15/03/2021
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Manufacturing Industries: Leicester
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the finding by the British Retail Consortium that workers in Leicester's apparel manufacturing industry are underpaid by over £2.1 million a week, whether he plans to take steps to help ensure that those workers receive backdated pay in line with the National Minimum Wage.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	169087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>Exploiting vulnerable workers for commercial gain is despicable and the Government will not stand for it. The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it.</p><p> </p><p>All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff; and consequences for not complying with paying NMW can include fines of 200% of the arrears, public naming and, for the worst offences, criminal prosecution.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC take seriously and review all complaints from workers referred by the Acas helpline, or received via the online complaints form, and investigate as appropriate. If anyone thinks they are not receiving at least the minimum wage, they can contact Acas, in confidence, on 0300 123 1100 or submit a query online using the link: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fpay-and-work-rights-complaints(opens%2520in%2520a%2520new%2520tab)&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cvictoria.bedford%40hmrc.gov.uk%7C8084014b8ce449dc2e3e08d8e927ede1%7Cac52f73cfd1a4a9a8e7a4a248f3139e1%7C0%7C0%7C637515704984552733%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=dSNOiPV1YpVfwrRG8%2BVmpGSsp9JHNxK3qrlk90l7b%2FA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints(opens in a new tab)</a> .</p><p> </p><p>HMRC NMW has undertaken joint operations with partner agencies in Leicester for a number of years and have historically investigated more than 150 textile businesses, including multiple employers operating in Leicester; recovering over £215,000 in wage arrears for over 400 workers and issued over £325,000 in penalties. HMRC NMW has also opened a significant number of investigations in Leicester since 1 July 2020.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC continues to take proactive steps in this industry: we have written to over 18,000 workers in the textile sector flagging their entitlement to minimum wage, common causes of underpayment and encouraging confidential reporting of employers, and have written to over 2,500 employers in the sector highlighting the main risks which lead to NMW underpayment.</p><p> </p><p>The British Retail Consortium has alleged that workers in the Leicester textile sector are underpaid by £2.1m per week. Previous and ongoing HMRC investigations have not identified non-compliance with NMW on this scale.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to work closely with industry bodies and would welcome any evidence they have in support of the findings by the British Retail Consortium.</p> answering member constituency Saffron Walden answering member printed Kemi Badenoch question first answered 23/03/2021 07:45:50 answering member 4597 label Biography information for Kemi Badenoch
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1287542

registered interest
date	19/02/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Manufacturing Industries: Leicester
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many garment factories in Leicester have failed a covid-19 inspection conducted by the Health and Safety Executive.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	155468
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>HSE have carried out 296 Covid19 specific interventions in respect of textile factories, in Leicester, since April 2020. Premises do not pass and fail, as such, however we can confirm that enforcement action has been taken in respect of 54 premises. Action taken includes a mixture of enforcement notices and letters, in addition to written advice, which were follow up to ensure compliance.</p><p /><p /> <p /><p /> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 01/03/2021 17:02:57 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1287543

registered interest
date	19/02/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Manufacturing Industries: Leicester
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what powers the Health and Safety Executive has to investigate factories in Leicester where the failure to implement covid-19 safety measures is a serious risk to public health.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	155469
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2021 answer text <p>Under Section 20 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, HSE Inspectors have a range of powers that they can use to investigate reported incidents and concerns, including those relating to implementation of Covid 19 safety measures in factories in Leicester.</p><p> </p><p>Inspectors have the right to enter premises to carry out their functions at any reasonable time. They have the right to ask questions, to examine documents and to take copies. They also have the right to talk to employees and safety representatives, as required.</p><p> </p><p>Inspectors have the power to issue Improvement Notices where they identify a breach of health and safety legislation or to issue Prohibition Notices where they identify a risk of serious personal injury. They also have powers to institute proceedings in Court where there has been a serious breach of health and safety legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout the pandemic, HSE has actively engaged with businesses, through site visits and phone calls, investigating reports from those raising concerns, assessing compliance with health and safety law, and using guidance such as that published about social distancing from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19</a>) to ensure businesses are adhering to requirements. HSE has also provided support to local public health bodies who lead on dealing with outbreaks.</p><p> </p><p>HSE continues to regulate in areas of highest risk and industries where concerns of Covid-19 transmission are greatest.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 01/03/2021 17:10:24 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222043

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Manufacturing Industries: Leicester
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to investigate Leicester’s garment factories for alleged instances of (a) wage theft, (b) denial of benefits and (c) modern slavery conditions.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71200
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the appalling reports of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers in Leicester. The Government will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable workers for commercial gain and is committed to taking action against those who seek to do so.</p><p>Investigations of criminal offences are the responsibility of operational law enforcement partners, who have the appropriate powers to do so. Following these allegations, the National Crime Agency have launched an investigation into these serious concerns. This has been taken forward using a partnership approach, using the expertise of several bodies, including the Health and Safety Executive, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Leicestershire Police.</p><p>Workers can report information or concerns about suspected labour exploitation in confidence through the telephone to the GLAA or to the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline. For advice on the legal minimum wage, working hours and employment agencies, workers can call the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service helpline for free.</p><p>We have also committed to going further on state enforcement and establishing a single enforcement body for employment rights to better protect vulnerable workers and create a level playing field for the majority of employers that comply with the law.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 71211 question first answered 20/07/2020 15:53:50 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe