Tag: Ian Murray

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many complaints about payment of the National Minimum Wage (a) were made, (b) were resolved within the required Departmental timescales and (c) were not resolved within the required Departmental timescales in 2013-14.

Jenny Willott

The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) on behalf of BIS.

HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline and deals with each NMW complaint on a case-by-case basis. The timescale for each case is dependent on a number of factors:

• the complexity of the issues
• the size of employer
• the cooperation of the employer
• the enforcement route required

In 2013/14, HMRC investigated 1631 cases. Of these, 1084 cases were closed; 565 cases were closed within 120 days; 519 cases were closed outside of 120 days and 547 cases are still open and yet to be concluded.

Please note that investigations may not commence and be completed in the same financial year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the target timescale is for resolving complaints regarding non-payment of the National Minimum Wage.

Jenny Willott

The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) enforces the National Minimum Wage (NMW) on behalf of BIS.

HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline and deals with each NMW complaint on a case-by-case basis. The timescale for each case is dependent on a number of factors:

• the complexity of the issues
• the size of employer
• the cooperation of the employer
• the enforcement route required

In 2013/14, HMRC investigated 1631 cases. Of these, 1084 cases were closed; 565 cases were closed within 120 days; 519 cases were closed outside of 120 days and 547 cases are still open and yet to be concluded.

Please note that investigations may not commence and be completed in the same financial year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with Royal Mail regarding the redirection notices it provides to other postal operators.

Jenny Willott

None. Matters relating to its operations and services, which includes its Redirection Service, are the direct responsibility of Royal Mail’s management.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the budget for the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate is for 2014-15.

Jenny Willott

The budget for the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate is no longer devolved below branch level in the Labour Markets Directorate, and we are therefore unable to provide this information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom regarding the postal service standards provided by TNT.

Jenny Willott

Ministers and officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) meet with officials from Ofcom, the independent regulator for postal services, on a regular basis to discuss a broad range of market issues. There have not been any specific discussions about TNT Post’s service standards.

All postal operators are subject to regulatory conditions set by Ofcom. These regulatory conditions cover such things as the security and confidentiality of the mail that operators handle and ensure that effective complaints procedures are in place for consumers. More information about Ofcom’s regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Government spent on National Minimum Wage enforcement in 2013-14.

Jenny Willott

Final figures for the Government spend on National Minimum Wage enforcement during 2013/14 are not yet available.