Rogue Companies Still Being Let Off The Hook - Öpik

3.22.00pm GMT Thu 6th Dec 2007

Commenting on plans to strengthen the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage announced today by the Government, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Secretary, Lembit Öpik MP said: "This looks like another wasted opportunity to make sure all low paid workers benefit from the minimum wage.

"By limiting the maximum civil penalty for non-compliance to just £5,000, the Government will be letting cheating companies off the hook.

"With only 100 inspectors covering Britain's four million businesses, the chances of any of rogue employers actually being caught are pretty slim.

"If ministers really want to help low paid workers, they should lift the maximum fine payable, and increase the size of the inspectorate.

"Ministers should also scrap the lower minimum wage rates for younger workers which leads to people under the age of 22 receiving substantially less for doing the same job as their older colleagues."