Thousands of clothing industry workers in an English city are feared to be receiving 3 (3.52) to 4 (4.70) an hour in conditions of modern slavery, MPs have heard.<\/p>\n
Conservative Andrew Bridgen asked ministers to meet with him to discuss allegations he made connected to Leicester.<\/p>\n
He offered no further specific details when raising the issue in business, energy and industrial strategy (Beis) questions.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) said: Would the minister agree for a meeting with me to discuss the situation in Leicester, where I believe there are approximately 10,000 people in the clothing industry being paid 3 to 4 an hour in conditions of modern slavery?<\/p>\n
Business minister Kelly Tolhurst replied: Yes, I would be absolutely happy to meet with him.<\/p>\n
This is a particular sector that has been under focus, there has been much work that has been carried out by HMRC and cross-border agencies HMRC enforce the national living wage but Id be happy to get any details that he particularly has thatd be helpful.<\/p>\n
The minimum wage is currently 8.21 (9.64) an hour for people aged 25 and over, which will increase to 8.72 (10.24) from April 2020.<\/p>\n
For workers aged 21 to 24, it is 7.70 (9.04) an hour rising to 8.20 (9.63) in April, for 18 to 20-year-olds it is 6.15 (7.22) rising to 6.45 (7.22), for under-18s it is 4.35 (5.11) rising to 4.55 (5.34) and for apprentices it is 3.90 (4.58) rising to 4.15 (4.87).<\/p>\n
Labours Rachel Reeves, who chaired the Beis committee in the last parliament, said the Government was offering warm words on enforcing the minimum wage.<\/p>\n
She said: The truth is in the last 10 years just nine firms have been prosecuted and fined for non-payment of the minimum wage.<\/p>\n
Where those fines are levied they are only half of the level that they could be levied at.<\/p>\n
Why is that if this is such an area of importance for this Government?<\/p>\n
Ms Tolhurst replied: I would like to correct her that there have been 14 prosecutions for the national minimum wage.<\/p>\n
But also what Id like to make clear to the House is there are other ways in making sure employers pay without just bringing prosecutions.<\/p>\n
Shadow minister Rachael Maskell said there has been a decade of workers being exploited under this Governments watch.<\/p>\n
Ms Tolhurst described this as a complete misrepresentation of the Governments work over the last 10 years.<\/p>\n
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The rest is here:<\/p>\n
MP: 10,000 people working in 'conditions of modern slavery' in clothing industry in English city - Irish Examiner<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Thousands of clothing industry workers in an English city are feared to be receiving 3 (3.52) to 4 (4.70) an hour in conditions of modern slavery, MPs have heard. Conservative Andrew Bridgen asked ministers to meet with him to discuss allegations he made connected to Leicester. Continue reading