A BUSINESS based in Old Sarum has been named and shamed by the government for failing to pay an employee above the minimum wage.

Delcom Systems Ltd have been ordered to repay nearly £12,000 to an employee they were ruled to have underpaid for three years.

The business is the supplier of radios to Salisbury and Amesbury pubwatch schemes, as well as Salisbury ShopWatch.

They also hold the contract for maintenance of the radio equipment in Salisbury’s CCTV control room, as well as providing the radio equipment used by the city parking wardens.

They are among 70 other employers nationwide that have failed to pay the minimum wage – but the £11,731.52 owed by Delcom Systems was the most underpaid to a single worker.

Business minister Jo Swinson said: “Paying less than the minimum wage is illegal, immoral and completely unacceptable.

“Naming and shaming gives a clear warning to employers who ignore the rules, that they will face reputational consequences as well as financial penalties of up to £20,000 if they don’t pay the minimum wage.”

Salisbury MP John Glen backed the government’s naming and shaming policy, saying that companies should be working towards paying the higher living wage.

He said: “It is outrageous that any company has failed in its basic responsibility to pay the minimum wage.

“I also welcome today’s announcement from the low pay commission to recommend a three per cent increase in the minimum wage.”

Ian Douglas, managing director of Delcom Systems said that he felt “victimised” by the announcement.

He also claimed that it was a dispute with one particular employee who was employed on a part-time contract. The company disputed how many hours the part-time member of staff said she had worked.

Mr Douglas added that all of his other members of staff are being paid above the minimum wage.

“I think that naming and shaming companies is counterproductive,” he said. “It is a sad situation but I will never take on somebody on that basis again.

“I would suggest that of the 70 companies that have been named and shamed around 60 of them are in the same boat as us.”