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23 Feb 2005 : Column 643W—continued
Minimum Wage
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are made on the payment of the minimum wage within the Greater London area to ensure that the proper rates are paid. [209257]
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Mr. Sutcliffe: The Inland Revenue, who enforce the minimum wage on behalf of the DTI, respond to all complaints about underpaying of the minimum wage.
The Revenue also make use of their own data to make proactive visits on employers throughout the UK to check whether they are paying their workers the minimum wage.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to review the penalties imposed on companies found paying their employees below the minimum wage. [215883]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Since the minimum wage was introduced in April 1999 the Inland Revenue have imposed 133 penalty notices on employers who they found were not paying their workers the minimum wage.
A penalty notice imposes a financial payment equal to twice the hourly amount of the adult minimum wage per worker for each day of continuing non-payment of the minimum wage.
The Government keeps their enforcement strategy under regular review.
Nuclear Power
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the papers on nuclear power which officials of her Department prepared as part of the contribution to the Energy White Paper 2003; and if she will place copies in the Library. [199660]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The following papers on keeping the nuclear option open (KNOO) were prepared for the DTIs Energy Advisory Panel and contributed to the work on the Energy White Paper:
These papers are now over two years old and some of the information that they contain will be out of date. Nevertheless it is hoped that their release will contribute to the continuing debate on nuclear power as a future energy source in the UK. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
In addition, the long-term costs of nuclear power were covered in the work commissioned by DTI on options for a low carbon economy. The resulting paper DTI Economics Paper No. 4: Options for a Low Carbon Future—Phase 2" can be viewed on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/phase2.pdf
Plumbing Industry (Black Country)
Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence she has collated on availability of JIB-PMES assessors related to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme within the plumbing industry in the Black Country; and if she will make a statement. [216032]
Jacqui Smith:
I would like to confirm that it is not the responsibility of my Department to collate this information.
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The Construction Skills Certification Scheme is owned and managed by Construction Skills Certification Scheme Ltd., representing construction employers, trade unions and clients. The Government has no responsibility for this scheme and its decision-making.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Northern Ireland (Collusion Investigation)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General on what date the Director of Public Prosecutions received papers prepared by Sir John Stevens arising from her investigation into collusion between Crown forces and loyalist paramilitaries; what further action was recommended; and what action has been taken in respect of prosecutions of these cases. [215699]
The Solicitor-General: There have to date been three investigations by Sir John Stevens into allegations of collusion, the most recent investigation having commenced in 1999.
The Director of Public Prosecutions is currently considering the product of the Stevens III investigation in two distinct but linked parts.
In respect of the first part, an investigation file was received by the DPP on 23 April 2002. Police inquiries were not complete at that stage and further information and investigations were requested by the DPP. Police recommendations as to prosecution were received by the DPP in June 2004. The advices of Senior Counsel were sought at an early stage and were obtained in March 2004.
In respect of the second part of the investigation files containing over 12,500 pages were received by the DPP in April 2003. Further information and investigations were required by the DPP and a final report was received on 27 April 2004. Police recommendations as to prosecution were received in November 2004. The advices of Senior Counsel were sought at an early stage and were obtained in December 2004.
The issues arising for consideration are complex and detailed and involved an examination of a substantial volume of documentation produced during the Stevens I and II investigations.
Final consideration is now being given to both parts of the investigation.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Cleaners
Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many cleaners there are in (a) those parts of the Palace of Westminster for which the House is responsible, (b) Portcullis House, (c) 1 Parliament Street, (d) Norman Shaw North and (e) Norman Shaw South; how many of these are (i)full-time and (ii) part-time; and if he will make a statement. [216400]
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Sir Archy Kirkwood: Cleaners are employed in the House of Commons under contract to the Refreshment Department and the Department of the Serjeant at Arms. In addition the Department of the Serjeant at Arms and the Library employ cleaners who are staff of the House. The numbers are as follows:
In addition there are three full-time contracted staff and seven part-time directly employed staff whose duties are carried out in a number of House of Commons buildings. It would not be meaningful to attempt to attribute them to any specific area.
The number of contracted cleaners given as employed in the Palace of Westminster covers those whose duties involve cleaning House of Commons areas only, since some cleaning in the House of Lords is carried out under the same contract.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 2 February 2005, Official Report, columns 910–11W, on the terms of employment of contracted cleaners. I understand that the discussions referred to in that answer on pay rates and other terms and conditions of employment are continuing. The parliamentary authorities are keeping in close touch with developments. I hope that a solution acceptable to all those involved can be reached.
I would also like to emphasise that the current discussions do not in any way involve those cleaning staff directly employed by the House of Commons Commission.
Passes
Mr. Prisk: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) what the total cost was of (a) implementing and (b) maintaining the visitor pass system in use until December 2004 for visitors to the Palace of Westminster; [217310]
(2) what the estimated cost is of (a) implementation and (b) maintenance of the adhesive visitor pass system to be introduced from February for visitors to the Palace of Westminster. [217311]
Sir Archy Kirkwood: The cost of implementing the visitor pass system in use until December 2004 was £11,600 including VAT. Staffing and other overhead costs were negligible.
The cost of implementing the adhesive visitor pass system introduced in February 2005 is £2,740. Overheads will be negligible. The monthly maintenance cost (consumables) is estimated to be around £2,000 including VAT.
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