The law prevents employers from reducing pay below the National Minimum Wage through salary sacrifice schemes and pay deductions where this is in some way for the employer's own use and benefit. Such a benefit could derive from a reduction in the employer's National Insurance contributions. This remains the case even if the worker chooses to participate in such a scheme.<\/p>
The Government is not currently considering changing this legislation. It is important that we continue to prevent exploitation from unscrupulous employers and harm to vulnerable workers. It is the responsibility of all employers to understand and follow these rules.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thirsk and Malton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Hollinrake"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-03T10:30:08.903Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "214"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business and Trade"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business and Trade"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"} , "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 and Trade, if she will take steps to enable employees to use salary sacrifice schemes that reduce their cash earnings below National Minimum Wage rates.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/415", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fabian Hamilton"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds North East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fabian Hamilton"} ], "uin" : "23678"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1676578", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1676578/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.<\/p>
<\/p>
A response to the Hon gentleman\u2019s Parliamentary Questions of 8th December is attached.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1676578/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "PQ5989_5997.pdf"}
, "title" : "UK Statistics Authority"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "5997"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-18T17:51:12.957Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the median gross hourly pay of workers was by nationality in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4679", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Neil O'Brien"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harborough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Neil O'Brien"}
], "uin" : "5989"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1648203", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1648203/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " UK inflation has been affected by global factors, including Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine affecting energy and food prices. The UK is not alone in facing these challenges, advanced economies across the world are feeling the impact of inflation.<\/p> <\/p> That is why halving inflation is one of the Prime Minister\u2019s top priorities. Evidence that corporate profits play a role is inconclusive. The independent Competition and Markets Authority have authority to intervene if they find evidence of anti-competitive conduct or competition law is breached.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4874", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Griffith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Arundel and South Downs"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Griffith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "191242"}
, {"_value" : "191243"}
, {"_value" : "191402"}
, {"_value" : "191403"}
, {"_value" : "191404"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-07-04T11:05:43.233Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 6 of the Working Paper by the International Monetary Fund entitled Euro Area Inflation after the Pandemic and Energy Shock: Import Prices, Profits and Wages, published June 2023, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the analysis by the Fund of the potential effect of the level of corporate profits on real wages; and if he will take steps to limit the potential inflationary impact of corporate profits on wage growth.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4809", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Beth Winter"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cynon Valley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Beth Winter"}
], "uin" : "191405"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1506504", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1506504/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Labour demand remains strong. The unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in the three months to July, its lowest rate since 1974. Redundancies are close to record lows, 40% below pre-pandemic levels.<\/p> The latest data indicates that nominal pay growth was 5.5% in three months to July.<\/p> There are now more vacancies (up 54% on pre-pandemic levels) than unemployed people for the first time. The Growth Plan announces measures to get more people back into work which, together with the agenda to boost productivity, will drive higher employment, wages and economic growth.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Philp"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon South"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Philp"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-28T14:13:17.663Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-09-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of labour on levels of pay.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "51776"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504638", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504638/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The legislation repealing regulation 7 applies to all employers in all sectors. It came into force on 21st<\/sup> July after debates in both houses of Parliament. It gives employers the choice to work with employment businesses to find suitably qualified staff when they are facing industrial action and offers agency workers the freedom to accept roles replacing staff on strike if they wish. It does not affect the ability of workers to go on strike and existing protections for striking workers are maintained. It does, however, balance the right to strike against the right of employers and third parties not to suffer disproportionate disruption. This is particularly important as we continue to recover from the pandemic and are faced with what are global economic challenges.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4336", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Callanan"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Callanan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-20T10:28:56.62Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-09-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the information regarding Harrods in the article \u201cAmazon gets tough with workers over 35p pay rise\u201d, published in The Sunday Times on 14 August; whether Harrods is classified as a \u201ccrucial public service\u201d; whether supermarkets are classified as such; and what other services are included in that designation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4302", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Balfe"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Balfe"}
], "uin" : "HL2061"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1170410", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1170410/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone entitled to the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. This is why we have more than doubled the compliance and enforcement budget for the NMW and NLW to £27.4 million for 2019/20, up from £13.2 million in 2015/16.<\/p> In 2018/19, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) identified a record £24.4 million in minimum wage arrears for over 220,000 workers and issued over £17 million in penalties to non-compliant employers.<\/p> The Naming Scheme is the appropriate mechanism to state which employers have underpaid National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is reviewing the Naming Scheme; the outcome of that review will be published in due course.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-16T17:18:11.533Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"}
, "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which employers underpaid the National (a) Living and (b) Minimum Wage in 2018-19.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4088", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stella Creasy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walthamstow"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stella Creasy"}
], "uin" : "2530"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1054575", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1054575/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government does not hold estimates of the total value of wages unlawfully unpaid in the last year.<\/p> <\/p> Through enforcement of National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage (NMW) law over the 2017/18 financial year, HM Revenue and Customs identified over £15.6 million in wage arrears, owed to over 200,000 workers. Government has increased HMRC\u2019s enforcement budget again to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018-19.<\/p> Any worker who feels they have been underpaid should contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). Acas provides free and impartial information and advice on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. Where appropriate, Acas will refer complaints relating to minimum wage underpayment on to HMRC for enforcement action.<\/p> The Acas website is at www.acas.org.uk<\/a> and the Acas helpline number is 0300 123 1100.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-02-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1054575/answer/previousversion/100518", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-11T17:19:48.173Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-02-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pay"}
, "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, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has estimated the value of wages unlawfully unpaid in the last year for which information is available by category of unlawfully unpaid wages.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burgon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burgon"}
], "uin" : "216363"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1036917", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1036917/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Letter from <\/strong>John Pullinger<\/strong>, National Statistician, to The Lord Green, dated 9 January 2019.<\/strong><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Dear Lord Green,<\/p> As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what the estimate of the number of workers in the UK is who are paid more than £21,000 a year (HL12559).<\/strong><\/p> The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings [1] (ASHE), carried out in April each year is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. ASHE is used to produce estimates of the number of employee jobs, which are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed. Please note that ASHE is based on a 1% sample of employee jobs taken from HM Revenue and Customs' Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records. Consequently, individuals with more than one job may appear in the sample more than once.<\/p> The estimate of employee jobs earning more than £21,000 per year in April 2018 [2] (the latest period for which ASHE estimates are available) in the UK is 12,826,000. This estimate includes apprentices and is based upon employees that have been in their current job for at least a year and are on an adult rate of pay. Yours sincerely, John Pullinger<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>