View from the Sydney Tower Eye in Sydney, Australia.

Cycling Minister Jesse Norman has set out his plans to help people to walk and cycle more, as part of a push for the UK to leave cars behind for shorter journeys.

This comes as the Department for Transport publishes a call for evidence on cycling in this country, asking for a range of views and opinions from the public on everything from improved infrastructure to education for all road users.

This is part of the government’s drive to make cycling and walking safer, while encouraging more people to take up cycling at all ages as part of a green revolution in transport.

Mr Norman also announced today (9 March 2018) that he has awarded £100,000 of seed funding to 3 innovative cycling safety projects. These pilots aim to tackle a range of issues, including reducing the cost of e-bike batteries through recycling used laptop batteries.

Cycling Minister Jesse Norman said:

We need to become a nation of cyclists, and this government wants to make cycling the natural choice of transport for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The call for evidence published today will support an open, comprehensive and thorough review across government to encourage active travel and improve safety for all road users, and I hope that as many people as possible take the time to read and respond to it.

We are determined to make cycling safer and easier across the country, and we are continuing to invest. Today we’re announcing an investment of £100,000 each in 3 innovative cycle safety projects, in addition to the recent £7 million of funding to improve cycle safety. This is all part of the first-ever statutory Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

This announcement comes as a report, recommending that there is a case for a new offence to be introduced to tackle dangerous cycling, has been published by the Department for Transport.

The independent report, written by legal expert Laura Thomas, finds there is a strong case for changing the law to tackle the issue of dangerous and careless cycling that causes injury or death. If this were to be introduced, it would bring cycling in line with serious driving offences.

This follows a multimillion pound government funding boost for cycle safety in February. 8 cities, which the government has already been helping to lead the way in promoting cycling, were given the chance to bid for an additional £6.5 million of funding to trial new schemes which improve safety. This will support the government’s aim of encouraging more people to cycle as part of everyday journeys.

Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of Cycling UK said:

Cycling UK has long campaigned for a review of all road safety laws and enforcement, so it is encouraging that these points will be considered in the call for evidence.

We want to see more people cycling safely, and will actively engage with the review to ensure it addresses the causes of dangers for cyclists and the barriers to more cycling.

Xavier Brice, CEO of walking and cycling charity Sustrans said:

We welcome the government’s ‘Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy safety review’ and especially the inclusion of pedestrians in the review. This is something we advocated. Safety concerns are some of the greatest barriers to more people choosing to walk and cycle and we are pleased that the review is seeking to make it easier for everyone to travel on foot or by bike, and recognises the wide benefits that active travel brings to individuals and societies.

Road safety applies to everyone, regardless of travel mode and we broadly support the case for a new offence to tackle dangerous cycling. However, it must remain proportional as people on bikes rarely cause harm to others through their own actions but, like pedestrians, are particularly vulnerable to motor vehicles which are by far the largest cause of death and serious injury on our roads. It is therefore good to see this as only one part of a much wider safety review to enable more people to walk and cycle every day.

In April last year, the government published the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, setting out its vision to remove barriers and double the number of cyclists by 2025.

Therefore, the remaining £500,000 will be set aside to support Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival project – a successful initiative which is helping to get more people cycling safely and confidently across the country.

The government wants cycling and walking to become the norm by 2040 and will target funding at innovative ways to encourage people onto a bike or to use their own two feet for shorter journeys.

• £1.11m identified for 9,200 workers underpaid minimum wage rates across the UK
• 179 employers named UK wide and fined £1.3m after underpayment
• Naming round comes before minimum wage rates rising on 1 April

The UK Government has today (9 March) named and shamed 182 UK employers – including 10 in Wales – for underpaying more than 9,000 minimum wage workers by £1.11 million.

In Wales 10 employers were named for underpaying 159 workers a total of £76,659. They were fined a total of £87,396.

As well as recovering backpay for 9.200 workers, the Government also fined the employers a total of £1.3 million in penalties for breaking national minimum wage laws. The most prolific offending sectors in this round were retailers, hospitality businesses and hairdressers.

It comes ahead of the next rate rise on 1 April, when the National Living Wage will go up from £7.50 to £7.83 per hour. Apprentices under the age of 19 and those in the first year of their apprenticeship will benefit from a record 5.7% rise.

Later this month the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will launch a campaign to raise awareness of the new rates and encourage workers to speak to their employer if they think they are being underpaid.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

Every worker in the UK is entitled to at least the national minimum or living wage and the UK Government will ensure they get it.

That is why we have named and shamed these employers who failed to pay the legal minimum, sending the clear message to employers that minimum wage abuses will not go unpunished.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said:

The world of work is changing and we have set out our plans to give millions of workers enhanced rights to ensure everyone is paid and treated fairly in the workplace.

There are no excuses for short-changing workers. This is an absolute red line for this Government and employers who cross it will get caught – not only are they forced to pay back every penny but they are also fined up to 200% of wages owed.

Today’s naming round serves as a sharp reminder to employers to get their house in order ahead of minimum wage rate rises on 1 April.

Bryan Sanderson, Chairman of the Low Pay Commission, said:

As the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates rise on 1 April, it is vital that workers understand their rights, and employers their obligations.

The Low Pay Commission is pleased to see the Government maintaining the momentum of its minimum wage enforcement.

The recent announcement that all workers will have a right to payslips stating the hours they have worked – an idea originally proposed by the LPC – is a positive step.

This 14th naming round comes after the government published its Good Work plan last month, which announced the right to a payslip for all workers. The new law is likely to benefit around 300,000 UK workers who do not currently get a payslip.

For those paid by the hour, payslips will also have to include how many hours the worker is paid for, making pay easier to understand and challenge if it is wrong. The move is part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy the government’s long-term plan to build a Britain fit for the future by helping businesses create better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK.

Since 2013 the scheme has identified more than £9 million in back pay for around 67,000 workers, with more than 1,700 employers fined a total of £6.3 million. The Government has also committed £25.3m for minimum wage enforcement in 2017/18.

Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears, capped at £20,000 per worker.

For more information about your pay, or if you think you might be being underpaid, get advice and guidance at www.gov.uk/checkyourpay. Workers can also seek advice from workplace experts Acas.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The companies from Wales are:-

Under this scheme the government will name all employers who have been issued with a Notice of Underpayment (NoU) unless employers meet one of the exceptional criteria or have arrears of £100 or less. All 179 cases named today (9 March 2018) failed to pay the correct national minimum or living wage rates and owed arrears of more than £100.

Employers have 28 days to appeal against the NoU (this notice sets out the owed wages to be paid by the employer together with the penalty for not complying with minimum wage law). If the employer does not appeal or unsuccessfully appeals against this NoU, BEIS will consider them for naming. The employer then has 14 days to make representations to BEIS outlining whether they meet any of the exceptional criteria:

• Naming by BEIS carries a risk of personal harm to an individual or their family;
• There are national security risks associated with naming in this instance;
• Other factors which suggest that it would not be in the public interest to name the employer.

National Living and Minimum Wage rates:-

Low paying sectors across the UK:-

• Hospitality: 43 employers named for underpaying 5,726 workers a total of £460,459
• Hairdressing: 19 employers named for underpaying 152 workers a total of £43,938
• Retail: 18 employers named for underpaying 85 workers a total of £27,332

• Nearly £75,000 identified for 206 workers underpaid minimum wage rates.
• 15 Scottish employers named and fined nearly £70,000 after underpayment
• Naming round comes before minimum wage rates rising on 1 April

The UK Government has today (9 March) named and shamed 15 Scottish employers for underpaying more than 200 minimum wage workers by nearly £75,000.

Across the UK 179 employers have been named for underpaying 9,200 minimum wage workers by £1.1 million.

The UK Government also fined the employers a total of £1.3 million in penalties for breaking national minimum wage laws. Fines for Scottish employers totalled £70,000.

As well as recovering backpay for 9,200 workers, the UK Government also fined the employers a total of £1.3 million in penalties for breaking national minimum wage laws. The most prolific offending sectors in this round were retailers, hospitality businesses and hairdressers.

It comes ahead of the next rate rise on 1 April, when the National Living Wage will go up from £7.50 to £7.83 per hour. Apprentices under the age of 19 and those in the first year of their apprenticeship will benefit from a record 5.7% rise.

Later this month the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will launch a campaign to raise awareness of the new rates and encourage workers to speak to their employer if they think they are being underpaid.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Lord Duncan said:

It is simply unacceptable for bosses to rip off their staff by not paying at least minimum wage rates. These 15 Scottish employers are breaking the law.

These fines show just how seriously the UK Government takes this matter. Bosses who think that they can get away with short changing their hard working staff be warned – the UK Government will name and shame you and hit you in the pocket.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said:

The world of work is changing and we have set out our plans to give millions of workers enhanced rights to ensure everyone is paid and treated fairly in the workplace.

There are no excuses for short-changing workers. This is an absolute red line for this Government and employers who cross it will get caught – not only are they forced to pay back every penny but they are also fined up to 200% of wages owed.

Today’s naming round serves as a sharp reminder to employers to get their house in order ahead of minimum wage rate rises on 1 April.

Bryan Sanderson, Chairman of the Low Pay Commission, said:

As the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates rise on 1 April, it is vital that workers understand their rights, and employers their obligations.

The Low Pay Commission is pleased to see the UK Government maintaining the momentum of its minimum wage enforcement.

The recent announcement that all workers will have a right to payslips stating the hours they have worked – an idea originally proposed by the LPC – is a positive step.

This 14th naming round comes after the government published its Good Work plan last month, which announced the right to a payslip for all workers. The new law is likely to benefit around 300,000 UK workers who do not currently get a payslip.

For those paid by the hour, payslips will also have to include how many hours the worker is paid for, making pay easier to understand and challenge if it is wrong. The move is part of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy the government’s long-term plan to build a Britain fit for the future by helping businesses create better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK.

Since 2013 the scheme has identified more than £9 million in back pay for around 67,000 workers, with more than 1,700 employers fined a total of £6.3 million. The UK Government has also committed £25.3m for minimum wage enforcement in 2017/18.

Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears, capped at £20,000 per worker.

For more information about your pay, or if you think you might be being underpaid, get advice and guidance at www.gov.uk/checkyourpay. Workers can also seek advice from workplace experts Acas.

The employers named today are:

1. Heather Park Community Services Limited, North Lanarkshire ML2, failed to pay £26,018.63 to 73 workers.
2. 1st Pizza Direct Limited, Highland IV3, failed to pay £25,668.15 to 87 workers.
3. Mr Muhammad Adnan Safdar and Mrs Khadija Javaid, trading as Citi Dental Surgery, Glasgow City G51, failed to pay £8,733.33 to 2 workers.
4. Cost Effective Catering Limited, City of Edinburgh EH4, failed to pay £4,559.11 to 23 workers.
5. Mr Wayne Gray and Mrs Margaret Gray, trading as Jackson Gray, Dundee City DD3, failed to pay £2,514 to 4 workers.
6. Universal United Commerce Limited, City of Edinburgh EH6, failed to pay £2,009.88 to 2 workers.
7. James Ritchie Clocks (established 1809) Ltd, City of Edinburgh EH3, failed to pay £1,064.66 to 2 workers.
8. Alison Margaret Smith, trading as A.M.S Hair & Beauty, City of Edinburgh EH12, failed to pay £935.21 to 1 worker.
9. Mrs Lisa Chakir, trading as Chairs Hairdresser, West Lothian EH49, failed to pay £774.86 to 1 worker.
10. Miss Zoe MacDonald, trading as Unique Hair & Beauty, Na h-Eileanan Siar HS1, failed to pay £686 to 1 worker.
11. Clear-View Fife Limited, trading as Clear-View Cleaning Specialists, Fife KY6, failed to pay £431.63 to 1 worker.
12. Saramago Ltd, trading as Saramago Café Bar, Glasgow City G2, failed to pay £425.63 to 4 workers.
13. Entier Limited, Aberdeenshire AB32, failed to pay £403.07 to 1 worker.
14. Jackson Gray Limited, trading as Jackson Gray, Dundee City DD3, failed to pay £343.38 to 3 workers.
15. P&P Duff (Scotland) Limited, trading as Patrick, Renfrewshire PA1, failed to pay £280.15 to 1 workers.