asked the Paymaster General if, pursuant to his answer of 5 May, Official Report, columns 333–40, he will state how many court actions were taken by the Wages Inspectorate against employers in 1986, distinguishing between criminal prosecutions and claims for arrears, showing the number of successful actions together with the arrears assessed and the arrears paid; if he will provide a breakdown of the figures in tables 3 and 4 showing checks made on a routine basis and those arising from a complaint, distinguishing between visits and questionnaire checks; and if he will provide information showing the number of establishments found to be in breach of any obligation under the Wages Act and predecessor legislation, indicating the nature of the breach and distinguishing, as far as possible, by sector and region.
In 1986 the inspectorate took criminal prosecutions against three employers. All were successful.
| Table A—Trades covered by wages councils and results of pay checks by type of check—1986 | ||||||
| Workers whose pay was checked | Workers underpaid | Arrears paid | Arrears waived | Arrears not pursued | Total arrears assessed | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Aerated waters | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 666 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | 2,524 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 32 | 1 | 46 | — | — | 46 |
| Totals | 3,212 | 1 | 46 | — | — | 46 |
| Clothing manufacture | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 12,766 | 355 | 17,182 | 923 | 3,630 | 21,735 |
| Routine checks not visited | 1,684 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 2,938 | 587 | 40,271 | 2,024 | 31,848 | 74,143 |
| Totals | 17,388 | 942 | 57,453 | 2,947 | 35,478 | 95,878 |
| Boot and shoe repairing | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 428 | 17 | 2,841 | 474 | 321 | 3,636 |
| Routine checks not visited | 71 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 19 | 10 | 1,310 | — | 140 | 1,450 |
| Totals | 518 | 27 | 4,151 | 474 | 461 | 5,086 |
| Button manufacturing | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 160 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 164 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coffin furniture and cerement making | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 3 | 1 | 20 | — | — | 20 |
| Totals | 31 | 1 | 20 | — | — | 20 |
| Cotton waste reclamation | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 39 | — | — | — | —. | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 39 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Flax and hemp | ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 34 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 34 | — | — | — | — | — |
The total arrears assessed as due to the workers concerned was £1,996·66 and £811·94 was awarded by the courts. I understand that the sums due have not yet been paid in full in all cases. The arrangements for payment are, however, a matter for the court. No civil proceedings to recover arrears were taken by the inspectorate in 1986.
The breakdown requested of the relevant figures in tables 3 and 4 in the Official Report for 5 May, at columns 333–40, is given in tables A and B respectively. Routine postal questionnaire checks were restricted to the two retail trades and hairdressing. Where the employer's reply was not satisfactory or no reply was received, a visit was carried out. Such visits are included in the figures in the tables for routine checks by visit.
Tables C and D give the information requested about the nature of breaches of wages council legislation found in 1986.
Workers whose pay was checked
| Workers underpaid
| Arrears paid
| Arrears waived
| Arrears not pursued
| Total arrears assessed
| |
£
| £
| £
| £
| |||
Fur
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 145 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 8 | 3 | 522 | — | — | 522 |
| Totals | 153 | 3 | 522 | — | — | 522 |
General waste materials reclamation
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 1,409 | 6 | 96 | — | — | 96 |
| Routine checks not visited | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 66 | 9 | 1,051 | 226 | 212 | 1,489 |
| Totals | 1,501 | 15 | 1,147 | 226 | 212 | 1,585 |
Hairdressing undertakings
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 5,226 | 375 | 37,680 | 7,274 | 2,658 | 47,612 |
| Routine checks not visited | 153 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 2,220 | 739 | 87,140 | 19,966 | 15,469 | 122,575 |
| Questionnaire checks not visited | 3,950 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 11,549 | 1,114 | 124,820 | 27,240 | 18,127 | 170,187 |
Hat, Cap and Millinery
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 607 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 607 | — | — | — | — | — |
Lace finishing
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 1 | 1 | 43 | — | — | 43 |
| Totals | 23 | 1 | 43 | — | — | 43 |
Laundry
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 1,843 | 32 | 2,925 | 1,125 | — | 4,050 |
| Routine checks not visited | 512 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 122 | 34 | 2,758 | — | 4,481 | 7,239 |
| Totals | 2,477 | 66 | 5,683 | 1,125 | 4,481 | 11,289 |
Linen and Cotton Handkerchief
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 154 | 1 | 15 | — | — | 15 |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 37 | 9 | 600 | — | — | 600 |
| Totals | 191 | 10 | 615 | — | — | 615 |
Made-up Textiles
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 463 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 4 | 2 | 157 | — | — | 157 |
| Totals | 467 | 2 | 157 | — | — | 157 |
Ostrich and fancy feather
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 192 | 1 | 48 | — | — | 48 |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 192 | 1 | 48 | — | — | 48 |
Perambulator and invalid carriage
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 127 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 127 | — | — | — | — | — |
Retail bespoke tailoring
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 161 | 3 | 348 | — | — | 348 |
Workers whose pay was checked
| Workers underpaid
| Arrears paid
| Arrears waived
| Arrears not pursued
| Total arrears assessed
| |
£
| £
| £
| £
| |||
| Routine checks not visited | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 16 | 7 | 2,002 | — | 136 | 2,138 |
| Totals | 190 | 10 | 2,350 | — | 136 | 2,486 |
Rope, twine and net
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 189 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 189 | — | — | — | — | — |
Sack and bag
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Routine checks not visited | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 4 | 4 | 263 | — | — | 263 |
| Totals | 52 | 4 | 263 | —
| — | 263 |
Toy manufacturing
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 492 | 6 | 201 | — | — | 201 |
| Routine checks not visited | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 23 | 17 | 615 | — | 301 | 916 |
| Totals | 544 | 23 | 816 | — | 301 | 1,117 |
Retail non-food trades
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 16,452 | 1,729 | 173,018 | 62,827 | 34,131 | 269,976 |
| Routine checks not visited | 33,157 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 2,522 | 1,053 | 188,282 | 36,829 | 49,835 | 274,946 |
| Questionnaire checks not visited | 6,247 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 58,378 | 2,782 | 361,300 | 99,656 | 83,966 | 544,922 |
Retail food and allied trades
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 17,100 | 2,628 | 201,277 | 101,169 | 22,160 | 324,606 |
| Routine checks not visited | 30,947 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 3,431 | 1,657 | 222,525 | 49,750 | 77,532 | 3,49,807 |
| Questionnaire checks not visited | 6,803 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 58,281 | 4,285 | 423,802 | 150,919 | 99,692 | 674,413 |
Licensed non-residential
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 27,273 | 1,665 | 117,602 | 34,415 | 12,783 | 164,800 |
| Routine checks not visited | 17,564 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 3,861 | 991 | 152,378 | 18,495 | 33,622 | 204,495 |
| Totals | 48,698 | 2,656 | 269,980 | 52,910 | 46,405 | 369,295 |
Licensed residential and restaurant
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 20,397 | 731 | 52,131 | 24,301 | 9,978 | 86,410 |
| Routine checks not visited | 18,706 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 10,354 | 1,639 | 174,864 | 9,041 | 29,953 | 213,858 |
| Totals | 49,457 | 2,370 | 226,995 | 33,342 | 39,931 | 300,268 |
Unlicensed place of refreshment
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 6,028 | 678 | 49,571 | 30,558 | 6,545 | 86,674 |
| Routine checks not visited | 9,765 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 1,256 | 542 | 58,653 | 8,304 | 13,271 | 80,228 |
| Totals | 17,049 | 1,220 | 108,224 | 38,862 | 19,816 | 166,902 |
Great Britain
| ||||||
| Routine checks by visit | 112,439 | 8,227 | 654,935 | 263,066 | 92,206 | 1,010,207 |
| Routine checks not visited | 115,151 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Complaints | 26,921 | 7,306 | 933,500 | 144,635 | 256,800 | 1,334,935 |
| Questionnaire checks not visited | 17,000 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 271,511 | 15,533 | 1,588,435 | 407,701 | 349,006 | 2,345,142 |