To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) successful convictions and (b) investigations launched there have been in respect of alleged or proven breaches of the national minimum wage regulations in each year since their introduction.

The Government takes the enforcement of NMW very seriously and HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them, investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where we identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Mr Lammy on 8 October 2013, Hansard, column 152W, with regard to prosecutions.

HMRC have enhanced the range of interventions it makes to investigate employers' compliance with national minimum wage. Enforcement officers investigate individual workers' complaints and may extend their review to include the whole of the employer's workforce dependent on the perceived level of risk. While this had reduced the number of cases completed, it has increased the level of assurance gained on employers' compliance with NMW legislation. This approach has led to an increase in the numbers of workers helped, which rose by 53% in 2012-13 when compared to 2011-12.

The data in the following table relates to cases opened or registered since 1999.