The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) today named 260 employers across the country for failing to pay 16,000 workers at least minimum wage rates. It identified a collective £1.7 million in back pay owed to the employees.

While the construction sector accounts for only a tiny proportion of the missed payments, the worst offender was Edward Mackay Contractor Ltd, from Brora, which describes itself as one of Scotland’s leading specialist windfarm contractors. It failed to pay £51,403.65 to four workers.

Other construction firms on the list include: Oldham-based Heyrod Construction, which failed to pay £1,588.6 to one worker; SMW Construction Ltd of Preston, which failed to pay £1,090.71 to three workers; Advanced Building (NW) of Salford, which failed to pay £2,027.04 to one worker; and DGC Building Services Ltd of Dudley, which failed to pay £1,377.84 to three workers.

Lower down the list still are building maintenance firm Men At Work (Wales) Ltd, based in Conwy, which failed to pay £310.8 to one worker, and Exeter plumbing and heating contractor Sprague & Ouseley, which failed to pay £123 to one worker.

Retailers were generally the worst offenders (34 retailers collectively underpaid 11,072 workers) along with hairdressers (40 businesses, 118 workers) and hotels (58 hospitality businesses, 288 workers).

UK government minister for Scotland Lord Duncan, said: “We simply will not stand by while companies diddle workers out of their pay. Particularly at this time of year, every pound in workers’ pockets counts. The UK government’s National Living Wage was established to ensure that everyone, everywhere, receives a decent income. It is unacceptable that some companies in Scotland still think they can get away with underpaying their staff. The UK Government will not stand for it, and will continue to ‘name and shame’ until all workers are properly paid.”

The 28 Scottish firms named today are: