The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. In addition, HMRC undertake targeted enforcement on employers across the United Kingdom who are more likely to be not paying NMW.<\/p>
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The Government has increased the financial penalty percentage from 50% to 100% of the unpaid wages owed to workers, and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. These new limits are now in force where arrears are identified in pay reference periods on or after 7 March 2014. The Government will also bring in primary legislation as soon as possible so that the maximum £20,000 penalty can apply to each underpaid worker.<\/p>
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The majority of employers identified as paying below the NMW pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment. Where they do not do so, HMRC pursues recovery through the civil courts. HMRC\u2018s approach to tackling underpayment of NMW through the civil courts is the best way to ensure that money is paid back to the person underpaid and provides the most effective resolution for tax-payers. Criminal investigations may not result in arrears being paid to workers and are therefore reserved for the most serious cases.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1529", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Gauke"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Hertfordshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Gauke"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T15:32:50.2694548Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Minimum Wage"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2014 to Question 209683 to the hon. Member for Stourbridge, what assessment he has made of the factors that resulted in there being no prosecutions for not paying the national minimum wage in each of the last two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "211604"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100296", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100296/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and officials maintain a regular dialogue with the senior management of Tata Steel.<\/p>
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Most recently the Secretary of State had a telephone conversation with Karl Kohler, CEO Tata Steel Europe on 29 September 2014; and met Cyrus Mistry, Chairman Tata Group in India on 14 October 2014. Official level contact is regular and ongoing.<\/p>
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We stand ready to engage with the trades unions to discuss and listen to their views on the proposed sale.<\/p>
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<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100296/answer/previousversion/24552", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-05T15:56:55.6262503Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Tata Steel"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Urgent Question on 16 October 2014, Official Report, column 445, on Tata Steel, what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with (a) Tata Steel and (b) trades unions to discuss the selling of the Long Products Division.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Iain Wright"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hartlepool"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Iain Wright"} ], "uin" : "211586"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100298", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100298/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Over the summer Ministers and officials undertook extensive discussions with a wide range of stakeholders regarding changes to DSA.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1578", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Greg Clark"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tunbridge Wells"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Greg Clark"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-04T15:37:59.6531348Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Disabled Students' Allowances"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received calling for a public consultation on proposed changes to disabled students' allowance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/197", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Fitzpatrick"} ], "uin" : "211565"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100304", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100304/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "