Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how the Government plans to help ensure that guaranteed-hours offers calculated by reference to hours worked during a seasonal peak do not require employers to provide the same hours during periods of lower seasonal demand.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is currently consulting on the regulations of the zero hours measures and will carefully consider the responses received before finalising the policy detail. Employers will still to be able to manage seasonal demand in a number of ways, including through fixed-term contracts where reasonable.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if the Department will publish an assessment of the potential impact of the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025 on (a) seasonal recruitment and (b) employment opportunities for people under 25 in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has published a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the zero hours contract measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025. This includes consideration of impacts on young, entry-level workers and sectors where variable demand is common.
The Government is now consulting on the detailed regulations for the right to guaranteed hours, including issues relevant to seasonal recruitment such as reference periods and temporary need. We are engaging with employers, workers and representative bodies, before determining a way forward for regulations.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
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 taking account of recurring seasonal fluctuations in demand in the tourism and hospitality sectors when developing regulations on guaranteed hours.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is engaging with multiple stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sectors during the consultation period and will carefully consider views on seasonal fluctuations in demand when developing the regulations.
Employers will continue to be able to manage fluctuating demand in a number of ways, including through fixed-term contracts where reasonable.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises expected to benefit from the proposed 60-day payment limit; and whether he will publish the methodology underpinning that estimate.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not published an estimate of how many SMEs will benefit from the 60-day maximum payment term, as impact varies across sectors, supply chains and contractual practices.
The supporting evidence is set out in the Department’s Impact Assessment, which explains the data and methodology used. The case for reform reflects the scale of the late payment problem. It is estimated late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion each year, with around 14,000 business closures annually
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, (a) what estimate he has made of the average amount owed to small and medium-sized enterprises through overdue invoices in each of the last five years, and (b) what additional financial and staffing resources have been allocated to the Small Business Commissioner to support the enforcement of the Government’s measures on late payments.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold data on the average amount owed to SMEs in overdue invoices over the last 5 years. However, research commissioned by DBT and published last year highlighted that late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion each year, causing 14,000 business closures annually.
The Department for Business and Trade is working with the Office of the Small Business Commissioner to ensure it has the necessary resources to effectively carry out its new functions.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the cumulative potential impact of (a) changes to employer National Insurance contributions, (b) changes to the National Minimum Wage, and (c) the Employment Rights Act 2025 on the recruitment, investment, and growth plans of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government has published a range of analytical documents covering the policies referenced, which set out their likely impacts on businesses of different sizes.
As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment covering the Employment Rights Act 2025 and The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2026 includes a small and micro business assessment. These analyses also consider the economic impacts on the wider economy.
A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was also published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the average annual cost per business of complying with the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 by (a) business size and (b) sector.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK.
Each Impact Assessment considers the cost of the policy, as well as how impacts may vary depending on business size and by sector. The assessment shows that those in low-paid, low quality and insecure work will amongst the largest beneficiaries of the Act.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made a quantitative assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025 on recruitment intentions among (a) micro businesses and (b) small businesses.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act. The analysis shows that the Act could have small, positive effects on the level of employment: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Each Impact Assessment considers how impacts may vary depending on business size.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
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 Act 2025 on administrative and compliance costs for (a) micro businesses employing fewer than 10 people, (b) small businesses employing between 10 and 49 people, and (c) medium-sized businesses employing between 50 and 249 people.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Each Impact Assessment considers the cost of the policy, as well as how impacts may vary depending on business size.
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assumptions his Department uses in relation to trade elasticities when modelling the long-term effects of UK accession to plurilateral digital trade agreements.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department for Business and Trade has not undertaken modelling of the long-term effects of UK accession to plurilateral digital trade agreements. Consequently, no assumptions regarding trade elasticities have been applied in this context.
The OECD has published analysis on the potential economic impacts of concluding the WTO’s Joint Initiative on E-Commerce. However, this analysis is not UK-specific.