Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will set out a publication timetable for the Government’s ethnicity pay gap reporting guidance for businesses.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government responded to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ report and recommendations with the “Inclusive Britain” report which was published in March 2022. In this report, the Government set out that ethnicity pay reporting will be voluntary and committed to publish guidance on ethnicity pay reporting. This will be published in due course.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2022 to Question 9997 on Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board, when his Department plans to respond to emails from the hon. Member for Oxford East requesting copies of minutes from the Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board.
Answered by Jane Hunt
The Department responds to requests for information using the Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Regulations. The Department is preparing the information, requested by the hon. Member for Oxford East in response to their request, for safe release. This will be issued shortly.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Answer of 23 March 2022 to Question 140547 on Employment: Pregnancy, if he will publish the (a) terms of reference and (b) minutes of the meetings of (i) 23 September 2021, (ii) 29 March 2022 and (iii) 11 May 2022 of the Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government does not routinely publish minutes of meetings or Terms of Reference. The papers referenced above can be made available on request to: labourmarketparticipation@beis.gov.uk.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of agencies which provide supply teachers to schools in the UK are assessed as being regulated by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Paul Scully
All employment businesses based in Great Britain are regulated by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, part of BEIS, under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2003 (both as amended). Employment Business based in Northern Ireland are regulated by the Employment Agency Inspectorate, under The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (as amended).
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2022 to Question 117049 on Employment: Pregnancy, if he will publish (a) the Terms of Reference and (b) the minutes of the meeting of 23 September 2021 of his Department's Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board has been established and is considering the information and guidance available on pregnancy and maternity discrimination to ensure it continues to be relevant and is effective in supporting employers and employees.
The minutes of the first meeting and terms of reference are being drafted and will be reviewed at its next meeting.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government last reviewed the recommendations of (a) the Equal Opportunities Commission’s 2006 report, Greater Expectations, on its investigation into discrimination against new and expectant mothers in the workplace and (b) subsequent reports by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Pregnancy and Maternity Related Discrimination and Disadvantage in 2016.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Equal Opportunities Commission’s Greater Expectations report and subsequently EHRC’s work, which was based on research jointly commissioned with the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, made a number of recommendations to respond to the risk and impact of pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace.
The Government has an active programme of work in this area. We have consulted and committed to introduce legislation to improve redundancy protections for pregnant women and new mothers. We will introduce this when Parliamentary time allows. We have also established a Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board comprising business representatives, family groups and the TUC. The Board is considering the information and guidance on pregnancy and maternity discrimination to ensure it continues to be relevant and is effective in supporting employers and employees.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed new contract for sub-postmasters on the provision of post office services.
Answered by Paul Scully
Post Office Limited ran a six-week consultation to seek views from postmasters on the proposed changes to remuneration and supported postmasters in understanding what the proposed approach would mean for their business. This was the first time Post Office had run a consultation on this scale. Post Office are now reviewing and analysing all the comments received from postmasters and will communicate the final changes in September.
The Government continues to protect the branch network by setting minimum access criteria and protects services by setting minimum services to be provided at post offices across the country.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the interests of sub-postmasters are being effectively represented by the National Federation of Subpostmastes in the current pay consultation.
Answered by Paul Scully
The National Federation of SubPostmasters (NFSP) provides an important forum through which postmasters can engage with and challenge the Post Office and the Government.
Following the new Mails Distribution Agreement (MDA2), Post Office proposed some changes in postmaster remuneration and the NFSP has raised concerns about these proposed changes with the Post Office and BEIS.
The Government understands that Post Office is considering postmasters’ concerns and is committed to communicating final changes in September. Progress in this and other areas will continue to be discussed at the regular working group meeting between the NFSP, Post Office and the Government.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support and guidance on ventilation during the covid-19 outbreak is being made available to businesses.
Answered by Paul Scully
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the temporary suspension of wrongful trading measures beyond April 2021 in order to align with other business support schemes extended beyond that date during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
Suspension of liability for wrongful trading is one of a package of regulatory easements introduced by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020, which expire at the end of March or April.
The further extension of all of these easements is under active consideration by the Government, and an announcement will be made shortly.