Found: really clearly is that the combined impact of the national insurance contribution rise, the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Markets, Department for Business and Trade to the Committee regarding the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill

Found: important steps specifically on social care, whether that is fair pay agreements in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Business and Trade Committee Oral evidence: Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill, HC 370 Tuesday 17

Found: Business and Trade Committee Oral evidence: Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill, HC 370 Tuesday 17

Found: Business and Trade Committee Oral evidence: Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill, HC 370 Tuesday 17

Found: Business and Trade Committee Oral evidence: Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill, HC 370 Tuesday 17

Found: In your opinion, how effective are the flexible working provisions in the Employment Rights Bill for

Found: The Employment Rights Bill, introduced in October 2024, proposes an addition to the Equality Act 2010

Found: Both the Industry and Regulators Committee's inquiry into skills for the future and the Employment Rights Bill

Found: playing field and workers’ rights, we are moving very far ahead on workers’ rights with our Employment Rights Bill

Found: What interaction are you having with the DWP, in terms of the Employment Rights Bill, and the Home

Found: d the HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter to improving employment rights through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, relating to the Child Poverty Strategy Employment Rights Bill

Found: Do you think we need to see a change to the Employment Rights Bill, for example, to include pregnancy

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve staff wellbeing and retention in the education sector.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Supporting our expert education workforce is critical to this government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people at every stage.

Improving the wellbeing of staff in the education sector, including teachers, is key to this. The department is working in partnership with the sector, and mental health experts, to make commitments to improve staff mental health and wellbeing and boost retention.

These commitments include the creation of the education staff wellbeing charter which sets out shared commitments to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff in schools and colleges. The charter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.

The charter can be used to inform a whole school or college approach to wellbeing or to develop a staff wellbeing strategy. So far, over 3,900 schools and colleges have signed up to it. In January 2024, the department published a progress report on its commitments in the charter, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-staff-wellbeing-and-teacher-retention.

The department is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders, which includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. More than 2,000 leaders have benefitted from the support so far. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which can be found at: https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/.

The department has made available a range of resources to help schools address teacher workload issues, prioritise staff wellbeing and support schools to introduce flexible working practices. For example, the department’s improve workload and wellbeing for school staff service, which was developed alongside school leaders, includes a workload reduction toolkit to support schools to identify opportunities to cut excessive workload. More information about this service can be found here: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/.

The department also recently clarified that planning, preparation and assessment time can be done from home. The department has also removed the requirement for performance related pay and bureaucracy that went with it and has abolished one-word Ofsted judgements to deliver a system which provides better information for parents and is proportionate for staff.

Fair pay is key to ensuring teaching is an attractive and respected profession, which is why this government has accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools from September 2024. This will be fully funded at a national level.

School support staff play a vital role in all our schools. They are crucial to ensuring we give children the best possible life chances and the department wants to ensure they are paid fairly for the work they do. This is why the department set out its plans to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced on 10 October. Establishing the SSSNB will help ensure that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high-quality, inclusive education.

Additionally, to boost recruitment and retention of teachers, the department has agreed to double the targeted retention incentive from 2024/25, which will give eligible early career teachers in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and technical shortage subjects, working in disadvantaged schools and in all colleges, up to £6,000 after tax annually, on top of their normal pay.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the measures in the Employments Rights Bill on working rights for private hire drivers.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments show that by boosting protections and the quality of work for the lowest paid in the labour market, who are concentrated in more deprived areas of the UK, the package will help to raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.

Private hire drivers’ entitlements to employment rights depend, as with other working individuals, on their employment status. The Employment Rights Bill does provide important new rights for many limb (b) workers – in particular the measures relating to zero hours contracts.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to make the signing of the seafarers charter by maritime operators compulsory.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to strengthening workers’ rights at sea, and has tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill to give Ministers powers to create a legally-binding Seafarers’ Charter that will protect and improve seafarer working conditions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a standalone employment right to disability-related leave.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is invested in protecting and enhancing the rights of vulnerable groups in the workplace.

The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to accommodate the needs of disabled em-ployees through reasonable adjustments. This is likely to include provision for disability-related absence.

In addition, changes proposed by the Employment Rights Bill include making it easier for employees to negotiate a flexible working arrangement which suits their needs. This will benefit, among others, employees with long-term physical or mental health condi-tions and disabilities.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of time limits to bring discrimination cases under the Equality Act 2010.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The time limit to bring discrimination cases to a tribunal is being extended from 3 to 6 months through the Employment Rights Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. This measure will allow certain claims to be made that currently are either (a) being made but which require, at the tribunal’s discretion, an extension over the 3-month period or (b) not being made as a result of the length of the time limit.

This supports the Government’s commitment to making work pay by strengthening employment rights and providing quicker and more effective resolutions, to the benefit of all parties. The change will align the timelines across different cases, simplifying the process for applicants and employers.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the length of paternity leave taken by men on women.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It is really important that parents are able to spend sufficient time with their children without it negatively affecting their careers.

The Parental Rights Survey found that 70% of employee fathers took Paternity Leave.

More work needs to be done to support working parents, and we have committed to a review of the parental leave system. Work is underway planning its delivery.

The Employment Rights Bill will make Parental and Paternity Leave ‘day one’ rights, bringing 1.5 million parents into scope for Parental Leave, and 32,300 into scope for Paternity Leave.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the employment rate.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Secretary of State, and ministers, regularly meet with Cabinet and ministerial colleagues, regarding a range of matters.

Our ambitions are to reverse the trend of inactivity, and to raise both productivity and living standards whilst improving the quality of work. To help achieve this, we have set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate, demonstrating our commitment to bringing those furthest away from the labour market into it, increasing local labour supply.

Achieving our ambitions requires a cross-government approach, which is why the Employment Rights Bill will make work more secure, boost wages, and help people thrive by supporting them into and to get on in work.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how she plans to monitor the effectiveness of the new preventative duty on sexual harassment.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Office for Equality and Opportunity will formally review the Worker Protection (Amendment to the Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 after five years to evaluate its effectiveness.

We will use Employment Tribunal data and Acas management information to monitor the impact of the new duty.

We are also taking action to strengthen the duty through the Employment Rights Bill to require employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on small and medium-sized businesses.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published 24 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. These Impact Assessments are available at the following link: http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment includes a small, medium and micro business assessment, which discuss the potential impacts of the Employment Rights Bill.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's news story entitled, Ministers tell business leaders they will be involved every step of the way in Make Work Pay plans, published on 3 September 2024 which (a) people attended and (b) businesses were represented at that business breakfast.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Business and Trade were joined by officials, special advisers, and representatives from the following companies:

Burberry, BT Group, Co-op, DHL Supply Chain, Haleon, John Lewis, Mace Group, Mars Wrigley UK, McDonalds, Octopus Energy, Sainsbury's, Whitbread.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the professional services sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at:http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including retail, infrastructure sectors such as transport and storage, and some consumer goods manufacturing (e.g. food-items) will benefit the most from the Bill. Our assessment suggests that the Professional Services sector is unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the retail sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at:http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including retail, infrastructure sectors such as transport and storage, and some consumer goods manufacturing (e.g. food-items) will benefit the most from the Bill. Our assessment suggests that the Professional Services sector is unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the consumer goods sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at:http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including retail, infrastructure sectors such as transport and storage, and some consumer goods manufacturing (e.g. food-items) will benefit the most from the Bill. Our assessment suggests that the Professional Services sector is unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the infrastructure sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at:http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including retail, infrastructure sectors such as transport and storage, and some consumer goods manufacturing (e.g. food-items) will benefit the most from the Bill. Our assessment suggests that the Professional Services sector is unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of producing impact assessments for the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The publication of Impact Assessments for the Employment Rights Bill meets our requirements under the Better Regulation Framework to provide analysis of the impacts on businesses, households, and the wider economy. This is important to support ministerial decision making, enable parliamentary scrutiny and ensure transparency.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not routinely collate information on the specific departmental cost of producing impact assessments. Information on civil servants employed by DBT and payroll data are available at: DBT’s headcount and payroll data for March 2024 - GOV.UK

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 5121 on Employment, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to public authorities of the Government’s procurement reforms on (a) new social value requirements and (b) trade union recognition and access requirements.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Employment Rights Bill was published in October along with a full Impact Assessment. The government will also publish a new National Procurement Policy Statement that will set how we will ensure that public procurement supports the Government’s missions, drives value for money and delivers social value.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of flexible working patterns offered to enable parents to (a) work and (b) afford the costs of childcare.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We know from reviews of the existing legislative framework as well as the impact assessment of the measures in the Employment Rights Bill that there is clear demand for adequate flexible working arrangements from parents, as there is with other groups in the workforce. Flexible working can help parents manage their childcare responsibilities and reduce the cost of childcare.

Through Make Work Pay the Government committed to making flexible working the default except where not reasonably feasible, making it more likely that requests are accepted. Clauses contained in the Employment Rights Bill will achieve this aim.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the public bodies for which his Department is responsible.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive impact assessment for the Employment Rights Bill, which included analysis on the impacts on the public sector.

Given the early stages of policy development, many reforms require further development and consultation before implementation. The Department will engage closely with the public sector and wider stakeholders as policy development continues to ensure the detail is right before changes are implemented.

Where measures require secondary legislation and codes of practice to implement, the Government will update and refine its analysis following the consultation based on additional evidence to inform policy options and impacts.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the defence and security manufacturing sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments].

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill, however, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including social care, hospitality, retail, and some manufacturing sectors such as the manufacture of food-items will benefit the most from the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the (a) materials and (b) critical minerals sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in low-paying sectors, including social care, hospitality, retail, transport, and some manufacturing sectors will benefit the most from the Bill. The assessment suggests that the construction, steel, materials, critical minerals and shipbuilding sectors are unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the (a) maritime and (b) shipbuilding sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in low-paying sectors, including social care, hospitality, retail, transport, and some manufacturing sectors will benefit the most from the Bill. The assessment suggests that the construction, steel, materials, critical minerals and shipbuilding sectors are unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the steel sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in low-paying sectors, including social care, hospitality, retail, transport, and some manufacturing sectors will benefit the most from the Bill. The assessment suggests that the construction, steel, materials, critical minerals and shipbuilding sectors are unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the construction sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in low-paying sectors, including social care, hospitality, retail, transport, and some manufacturing sectors will benefit the most from the Bill. The assessment suggests that the construction, steel, materials, critical minerals and shipbuilding sectors are unlikely to be disproportionately impacted by the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the hospitality sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill:

[http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments].

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill. However, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors, including hospitality, will benefit the most from the Bill. The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the advanced manufacturing sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments].

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill, however, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including social care, hospitality, retail, and some manufacturing sectors such as the manufacture of food-items will benefit the most from the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the (a) chemicals and (b) plastics sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments].

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill, however, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including social care, hospitality, retail, and some manufacturing sectors such as the manufacture of food-items will benefit the most from the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the automotive sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments].

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill, however, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including social care, hospitality, retail, and some manufacturing sectors such as the manufacture of food-items will benefit the most from the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the aerospace sector.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments].

The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill, however, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors including social care, hospitality, retail, and some manufacturing sectors such as the manufacture of food-items will benefit the most from the Bill.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the prevention of exploitation of migrant workers by employers that threaten to cancel visas.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill will provide a new baseline of security for all workers, including those working on a visa. These protections include day one protection from unfair dismissal, increasing protection from harassment, strengthening Statutory Sick Pay and ending exploitative zero hours contacts.

The new Fair Work Agency will help ensure new minimum standards are being upheld across the country, by increasing awareness and accessibility of workers’ rights by providing a single point of contact, as well as supporting businesses to access clearer rules, information and advice to comply with the law.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the employment rights of migrant workers.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill will provide a new baseline of security for all workers, including those working on a visa. These protections include day one protection from unfair dismissal, increasing protection from harassment, strengthening Statutory Sick Pay and ending exploitative zero hours contacts.

The new Fair Work Agency will help ensure new minimum standards are being upheld across the country, by increasing awareness and accessibility of workers’ rights by providing a single point of contact, as well as supporting businesses to access clearer rules, information and advice to comply with the law.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on levels of (a) employment, (b) unemployment and (c) economic inactivity.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments was published on October 21 and can be found here. It illustrates that the provision of better-quality work, more family friendly employment protections and flexible working rights could increase the range of jobs and working patterns that suit individuals. Further, the Impact Assessment finds evidence that the Bill could particularly benefit those who are currently inactive or intermittently working due to childcare responsibilities, long term illness or disabilities. The Impact Assessment also deemed the risk of significant unemployment effects as a result of the Bill to be ‘low’.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to publish a sexual harassment survey.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Office for Equality and Opportunity plans to strengthen protections against workplace sexual harassment through the Employment Rights Bill. These measures intend to amend the Equality Act 2010 to:
● require employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees;
● introduce an obligation on employers not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties, and;
● enable regulations to specify steps that are to be regarded as “reasonable”, to determine whether an employer has taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

Prevalence across a range of Violence Against Women and Girls offences, including sexual harassment, is currently measured through the Crime Survey for England and Wales which is run continuously throughout each financial year by the Office for National Statistics, with data published quarterly.

The Government is continuing its work to halve Violence Against Women and Girls in a decade.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the labour market.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Secretary of State, and ministers, regularly meet with Cabinet and ministerial colleagues, regarding a range of matters.

Our ambitions are to reverse the trend of inactivity, and to raise both productivity and living standards whilst improving the quality of work. To help achieve this, we have set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate, demonstrating our commitment to bringing those furthest away from the labour market into it, increasing local labour supply.

Achieving our ambitions requires a cross-government approach, which is why the Employment Rights Bill will make work more secure, boost wages, and help people thrive by supporting them into and to get on in work.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the ability of employers to contact a (a) full-time and (b) part-time employee outside of their (i) normal and (ii) condensed working hours.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The right to switch off is not part of the Employment Rights Bill. It will be delivered through a statutory Code of Practice which will be the subject of a full public consultation in due course. The consultation will give interested parties the opportunity to comment on the specifics of the code and its approach to tackling work or work-related contact outside normal working hours. The responses will inform the final content of the Code.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee's report on the Employment Rights Bill, published on 21 November 2024, if he will carry out new impact assessments to replace those rated not fit for purpose.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government has noted the Regulatory Policy Committee’s opinion on the Impact Assessment for the Employment Rights Bill.

It has always been the Government’s intention to refine our analysis as policy development continues, working closely with external experts, businesses, trade unions and the Regulatory Policy Committee.

As is standard, Government will publish updated Option Assessments and Impact Assessments alongside future consultations and secondary legislation to meet our Better Regulation requirements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her policies on higher education reform will include employment rights protections for (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent lecturers.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government wants to work in partnership with the higher education (HE) sector to deliver the change that the country needs. The department has outlined its five strategic priorities for the sector and will set out its plan for HE reform by summer 2025, to ensure the system delivers against these priorities.

HE providers are independent from government, and as such government does not have a role in workforce matters, including in staff contracts or pay and provision at specific providers.

However, the department does recognise the financial environment of the HE sector is increasingly challenging, for both HE providers and for staff. We are aware that some providers are making difficult decisions around staffing in order to safeguard their financial sustainability.

The department will continue to work on building strong relationships with sector bodies and unions to better understand the issues facing the sector and its workforce. Departmental officials are working closely with the sector to find practical ways forward to address the challenges faced, and with officials at the Department for Business and Trade on the provisions of the Employment Rights Bill.

This government is committed to creating a secure future for our world-leading universities so they can deliver for workers, students, taxpayers and the economy.

On employment rights protections more generally, the government’s plan to Make Work Pay sets out an ambitious agenda to ensure employment rights are fit for a modern economy, empower working people and contribute to economic growth. Once implemented, it will represent the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights in a generation.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to classify new measures in the Employment Rights Bill as a burden via the New burdens doctrine.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Our Impact Assessments provide an initial, indicative assessment of the impacts that could result from primary legislation. This represents the best estimate for the likely impacts given the current stage of policy development. We intend to refine our analysis and conduct further assessment as the Bill progresses, in line with Better Regulation requirements.

The New Burdens Doctrine does not apply to policies which apply the same rules to local authorities and to private sector bodies, such as employment legislation that applies to all organisations, unless these have a disproportionate effect on local government.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure problems arising from menstrual health conditions, such as endometriosis, are accepted by employers as justified workplace absences.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Officials from the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office for Equality and Opportunity met with Endometriosis UK to discuss the development of Equality Action Plans on 13th November 2024.

On 18^th October 2024 the Government appointed Mariella Frostrup as the new Menopause Employment Ambassador. The Menopause Employment Ambassador will work closely with employers across the country to improve workplace support for women experiencing menopause and wider women’s health issues including menstrual health conditions.

This appointment comes as the government has proposed a wide-ranging set of generational reforms to boost protections for workers. The Employment Rights Bill is the first phase of delivering the Government’s plan to Make Work Pay, supporting workers through strengthening statutory sick pay, making flexible working the default, and requiring large employers to produce equality action plans.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of closing the gender pay gap on women who (a) live, (b) learn and (c) work in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

According to the most recent ONS assessment, the median gender pay gap for all UK employees is 13.1% in April 2024. We are committed to going further and faster to close the gender pay gap. There are a number of measures within our landmark Employment Rights Bill which will support us in this ambition, and which will have a positive impact on women across the country.

In relation to my Hon. Friend’s constituency, the most recent ONS assessment states that the median gender pay gap for all employees who live in the constituency in April 2024 is 9.4%, down from 19.8 last year*, and significantly lower than the national figure.

*ONS recommend comparing GPG figures over the longer term. ONS publish GPG data back to 1997 however, the home parliamentary constituency table was published later. Given the small number of people in any parliamentary constituency included in the GPG calculations, ONS also produces a rating of the quality of this data. 2004 was the earliest that Newcastle-under-Lyme's GPG data was published and considered of "reasonable quality."

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of a cross-Government strategy to close the gender pay gap.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

According to the most recent ONS assessment, the median gender pay gap for all UK employees is 13.1% in April 2024. We are committed to going further and faster to close the gender pay gap. There are a number of measures within our landmark Employment Rights Bill which will support us in this ambition, and which will have a positive impact on women across the country.

In relation to my Hon. Friend’s constituency, the most recent ONS assessment states that the median gender pay gap for all employees who live in the constituency in April 2024 is 9.4%, down from 19.8 last year*, and significantly lower than the national figure.

*ONS recommend comparing GPG figures over the longer term. ONS publish GPG data back to 1997 however, the home parliamentary constituency table was published later. Given the small number of people in any parliamentary constituency included in the GPG calculations, ONS also produces a rating of the quality of this data. 2004 was the earliest that Newcastle-under-Lyme's GPG data was published and considered of "reasonable quality."

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made on establishing the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 10 October 2024, the Government introduced the Employment Rights Bill in Parliament. Among other powers, and as currently drafted, the bill confers powers on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to establish a body to negotiate for Fair Pay Agreements in the adult social care sector. This bill is currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons.

The Department is currently engaging national stakeholders, as it works towards implementing Fair Pay Agreements in the care sector, and will fully consult, including on the establishment of a negotiating body, following Royal Assent of the Employment Rights Bill.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of people claiming (a) Universal Credit and (b) other benefits.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments show that by boosting protections and the quality of work for the lowest paid in the labour market, who are concentrated in more deprived areas of the UK, the package will help to raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all. We believe the risk to employment prospects for these groups is small, with the benefits the Bill delivers to them being greater.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress she has made on establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

School support staff are an essential part of the school workforce, and the department recognises that they are crucial to ensuring we give children the best possible life chances.

That is why the reinstatement of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is a priority for this government. The department has recently set out plans to reinstate the SSSNB through the Employment Rights Bill, introduced in parliament on 10 October 2024. This is currently at the Committee Stage in the House of Commons. The SSSNB will have a remit to negotiate pay and terms and conditions, and to advise on training and career progression for school support staff in state-funded schools in England. The Body will be composed of representatives of employers, representatives of support staff, representatives of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and an Independent Chairperson.

The department is also continuing to engage with the recognised support staff trade unions and other stakeholders, including on the design of the SSSNB.

The SSSNB will play an important role in supporting the department’s work to drive high and rising standards in education and ensuring we give all children the best possible life chances.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department offers its staff shared parental leave from their first working day.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade offers Shared Parental Leave to all eligible employees in line with the statutory approach.

As part of our Make Work Pay commitment, we will be carrying out a review of the wider statutory parental leave landscape, including Shared Parental Leave, ensuring that the parental leave system offers the best possible support to working families. The Employment Rights Bill means stronger, more family-friendly employment rights for workers and will ensure a fairer and more equal labour market.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department offers paternity leave to its staff from their first working day.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department offers Paternity Leave in line with the statutory approach and will be reviewing its policy following the changes brought in by the Employment Rights Bill. Paternity Leave is set to become a day one right, removing the current continuity of service requirements and bringing 32,000 fathers and partners into scope. The Employment Rights Bill means stronger, more family-friendly employment rights for workers and will ensure a fairer and more equal labour market.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether staff in his Department receive protections from unfair dismissal from their first working day.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Around 9 million employees have been working for their employer for less than two years, so have only very limited statutory protection against unfair dismissal.   Our Employment Rights Bill will provide a new baseline of security for employees, including day one protection from unfair dismissal.

Department for Business and Trade (DBT) employees working in England, Scotland and Wales are subject to a two year qualifying period before they receive legal protection from unfair dismissal. Employment Law is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and DBT employees working there are subject to a one year qualifying period.

Found: Following the provisions in the Employment Rights Bill to re-establish the School Support Staff Negotiating

Found: Following the provisions in the Employment Rights Bill to re-establish the School Support Staff Negotiating

Found: This includes legislation to: a. enhance workplace rights, through the Employment Rights Bill; b.

Found: government announced plans to repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: government announced plans to repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: government has committed to creating a Fair Work Agency (FWA), Its formation is included in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: government amendments to the Employment Rights Bill paves way for mandatory seafarers charter new

Found: Last month, we introduced landmark legislation, the Employment Rights Bill setting the stage to negotiate

Found: exploitation and the creation of the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the recently introduced Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Government will build on this including in the upcoming Employment Rights Bill to further support

Found: The Fair Work Agency is a unique opportunity to reform labour rights enforcement; and the Employment Rights Bill

Found: government amendments to the Employment Rights Bill paves way for mandatory seafarers charter new

Found: statements made by ministers in both Houses during debates on t he Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill proposes new single enforcement body, the Fair Work Agency (FWA).

Found: an English Devolution Bill (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) • the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Work principles and the UK legal employment framework, for example the recently announced Employment Rights Bill

Found: Employment Rights Bill: Letter to UK Government

Found: co-chairs to ask them to consider the challenges and opportunities linked to upcoming UK Employment Rights Bill