To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff there are in the national minimum wage regional compliance team in (a) Aberdeen, (b) Belfast, (c) Birmingham, (d) Cambridge, (e) Cardiff, (f) East Kilbride, (g) Exeter, (h) Maidstone, (i) Teesside, (j) Portsmouth, (k) Romford, (l) Sheffield, (m) Ashton, (n) Shipley, (o) Wigan and (p) Leicester; how many staff he expects there to be in each such team in 2010; and how many cases each such team presented to employment tribunals on behalf of employees in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. (264273)

The following table contains the current number of staff in post in each national minimum wage (NMW) compliance team. Projected staffing figures for 2010 are not available, due to HM Revenue and Customs' current review of its business operations and practices.

NMW compliance officers do not present cases to employment tribunals on behalf of low-paid workers. Where an employer appeals against the issue of an enforcement notice by a compliance officer, a compliance officer may appear as a respondent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the estimated £29 million recovered on behalf of employees who were underpaid or not paid the minimum wage under the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 had been repaid to such employees on the latest date for which figures are available. (264357)

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs does not keep separate statistics on the amount of arrears paid or not paid to workers.