Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

100103

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
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 25 June 2014 to Question 201383, how much was spent on national minimum wage enforcement in 2013-14.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211245
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>£7.5m was spent by HM Revenue and Customs on the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in 2013/14.</p><p>We have increased the budget allocation for National Minimum Wage enforcement in 2014/15 to £9.2m. This extra funding will enable HMRC to increase the number of compliance officers working in this area who, as well as continuing to respond to every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline, will also undertake targeted enforcement, focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.</p><p>Anyone who believes they are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and has not received it should contact this free and confidential helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 24/10/2014 11:29:09 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

99785

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2014, Official Report, column 246W, in which months the investigations by HM Revenue and Customs commenced against each of the 25 firms named and shamed for breach of the National Minimum Wage by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 8 June 2014.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. HM Revenue and Customs (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><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC do not keep data on Notices of Underpayments in a format to enable provision of the statistics requested.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of the 25 firms named by Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on 8 June 2014, 10 investigations commenced in October 2013; 10 in November 2013 and 5 in December 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of the 5 firms named by BIS on 28 February 2014, 4 investigations commenced in October 2013 and 1 during November 2013. The Notices of Underpayment for these 5 cases were all issued in December 2013.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke grouped question UIN 211102 211180 question first answered 23/10/2014 14:59:40 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

99786

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employers have been issued with two or more notices of underpayment of the National Minimum Wage since 7 March 2014.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211180
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. HM Revenue and Customs (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><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC do not keep data on Notices of Underpayments in a format to enable provision of the statistics requested.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of the 25 firms named by Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on 8 June 2014, 10 investigations commenced in October 2013; 10 in November 2013 and 5 in December 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of the 5 firms named by BIS on 28 February 2014, 4 investigations commenced in October 2013 and 1 during November 2013. The Notices of Underpayment for these 5 cases were all issued in December 2013.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke grouped question UIN 211102 211177 question first answered 23/10/2014 14:59:40 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

99790

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the investigation by HM Revenue and Customs against the five firms named and shamed for breach of the National Minimum Wage by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 28 February 2014 began; and when such firms were issued with the relevant Notice of Underpayment by HM Revenue and Customs.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government takes the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) very seriously. HM Revenue and Customs (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><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC do not keep data on Notices of Underpayments in a format to enable provision of the statistics requested.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of the 25 firms named by Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on 8 June 2014, 10 investigations commenced in October 2013; 10 in November 2013 and 5 in December 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of the 5 firms named by BIS on 28 February 2014, 4 investigations commenced in October 2013 and 1 during November 2013. The Notices of Underpayment for these 5 cases were all issued in December 2013.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke grouped question UIN 211177 211180 question first answered 23/10/2014 14:59:40 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

99948

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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 recent steps he has taken to ensure employer compliance with minimum wage legislation.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	211009
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Individuals who are entitled to the National Minimum Wage should receive it and we are committed to taking the steps necessary to improve compliance; ensuring employers understand their responsibilities and workers know their rights, and ensuring robust enforcement of the law.</p><p>Detailed guidance, including how to calculate the minimum wage, is available on the gov.uk website. Confidential advice is also available for both workers and employers through the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. Any worker who is concerned that they have not been paid what they are legally entitled to or who wants to make a complaint, should call the helpline on 0800 917 2368.</p><p>We have taken a number of steps to strengthen enforcement activity. This year, HMRC’s enforcement budget has increased by £1.2million to £9.2 million. This extra funding will enable HMRC to increase the number of National Minimum Wage compliance officers who, as well as continuing to respond to every complaint, will also undertake targeted enforcement, focusing on the worst offending employers in the highest-risk sectors.</p><p>Employers who are found to have broken the law face substantially higher penalties. We increased the financial penalty percentage that employers pay for breaking minimum wage law from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the unpaid wages owed to workers and the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000. The increase came into effect on 7 March 2014. Since revising the Government’s naming scheme, we have also named 30 employers who between them owed over £50,000 in arrears, to provide further incentive to all employers to comply.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:11:14 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

91900

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England and Wales were paid the minimum wage in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Michael Dugher
uin	209568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Reading East answering member printed Mr Rob Wilson question first answered 15/10/2014 14:55:06 answering member 1556 label Biography information for Mr Rob Wilson attachment 1 file name PQ 209568 ONS 340.pdf title ONS Letter to Member - Minimum Wage
tabling member	3916 label Biography information for Michael Dugher

92105

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many companies have been prosecuted for not paying minimum wage in each of the last nine years.
tabling member constituency	Stourbridge
tabling member printed	Margot James
uin	209683
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2014 answer text <p>Records are available from 2006-07. With the agreement of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, HMRC started considering prosecution for minimum wage offences from May 2006.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The following table shows the number of employers who have been prosecuted with offences connected with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) since then, and of those prosecutions, the number who have been prosecuted under Section 31(1) “Employer refuses or wilfully neglects to pay NMW” alongside other offences.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Prosecutions started</strong></p><p><strong> for any NMW offences</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Charges of failure/</strong></p><p><strong>refusal to pay NMW</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>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. For deliberate non-compliance or obstructive behavior HMRC operates a policy of selective and exemplary criminal investigation action to enhance their enforcement strategy. HMRC‘s 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> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 16/10/2014 09:35:24 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	4115 label Biography information for Margot James

92285

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many companies have been successfully taken to tribunal by employees for not complying with minimum wage legislation in each of the last nine years.
tabling member constituency	Stourbridge
tabling member printed	Margot James
uin	209707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2014 answer text <p>HM Courts &amp; Tribunal Service does not collate the information requested. This information could only be provided at a disproportionate cost by manually checking individual tribunal files.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 15/10/2014 16:11:29 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	4115 label Biography information for Margot James

91669

registered interest
date	12/09/2014
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 sectors of the economy he estimates to have the lowest compliance with national minimum wage legislation.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	209186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The main estimate of non-compliance used is from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)[1]. The table below shows the proportion of jobs held by those aged 22 and over, paid below the full adult national minimum wage (NMW) (at the time of the ASHE survey) by sector. It is reproduced from the latest Low Pay Commission report[2].</p><p>This is a proxy measure for non-compliance as these figures include people who for legitimate reasons are paid less than the adult NMW for example because they are on the apprentice NMW rate or are living in accommodation provided by their employer. The ASHE survey is based on a sample of employee jobs drawn from HMRC’s Pay-As-You-Earn income tax records and consequently it does not include all workers who earn below the Lower Earnings Limit. These two factors tend to offset each other but we do not know definitively how large the combined effect is. However, we believe that it is small.</p><p> </p><p>Proportion of jobs held by those aged 22 and over, paid below the national minimum wage by sector, UK, 2012-13</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Sectors</p></td><td><p>Paid below 2013 April NMW rate (£6.19)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hairdressing</p></td><td><p>3.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Childcare</p></td><td><p>2.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hospitality</p></td><td><p>2.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cleaning</p></td><td><p>2.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leisure, travel &amp; sport</p></td><td><p>1.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Retail</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Transport</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Agriculture</p></td><td><p>1.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Storage</p></td><td><p>0.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Social care</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Textiles &amp; clothing</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Office work</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Employment agencies</p></td><td><p>0.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Food processing</p></td><td><p>0.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Non-food Processing</p></td><td><p>0.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Whole economy</strong></p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] ASHE is a survey of employees completed by employers which we can use to look at workers earning at or below the NMW rate.</p><p>[2]<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288841/The_National_Minimum_Wage_LPC_Report_2014.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288841/The_National_Minimum_Wage_LPC_Report_2014.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 13/10/2014 12:16:52 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

91670

registered interest
date	12/09/2014
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 proportion of those estimated not to be in receipt of the national minimum wage call the the Pay and Rights Helpline.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	209187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>Estimates from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings for April 2013 show that there were around 279,000 jobs paid below the national minimum wage (NMW) held by people aged 16 and over (which constitutes 1.1% of all employee jobs in the UK labour market).</p><p> </p><p>The number of complaints about the NMW to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline (PWRH) in 2013/14 was 3747 (including some calls up to May 2014). We do not know what number of complaints to the PWRH come from workers who are not paid the NMW. There are a number of other callers who also ring the helpline to obtain advice and are able to have their issue resolved at this stage without needing to make a formal complaint.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>During 2013/14, HMRC conducted 1,455 investigations (39% of the number of calls to the PWRH). From the investigations, 47 per cent of the cases were found to be non-compliant, which covers 22,610 workers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 13/10/2014 14:35:41 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham