Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 June 2022 on Business Update, Official Report, HCWS137, whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2022 on employment relations in Wales.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Welsh Ministers on a wide range of issues. As previously stated in 2017, the UK Government intends to legislate to remove the Trade Union (Wales) Act 2017 through primary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.
The repeal of Regulation 7, which will apply across all sectors, is designed to minimise the negative and unfair impact of strikes on the British public by ensuring that businesses and services can continue operating. Strikes in public services, such as education, can often mean parents have to stay at home with their children rather than go to work. Strikes in the rail sector stop commuters getting to work.
Removing Regulation 7 does not put in place any new barriers on an individual’s right to take part in lawful industrial action. Employment businesses will not be required to supply agency workers to businesses, rather the change that we are making simply provides the freedom to do so, should they wish to.
While we continue to work with the Welsh Government in a number of areas, employment and industrial relations law is a reserved matter for the UK Government. It is right that we seek to apply trade union law equally and fairly across Britain to ensure that services, such as train lines, are run as effectively as possible.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 June 2022 on Business Update, Official Report, HCWS137, whether he had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the potential impact of The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2022 on employment relations in Wales.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Welsh Ministers on a wide range of issues. As previously stated in 2017, the UK Government intends to legislate to remove the Trade Union (Wales) Act 2017 through primary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.
The repeal of Regulation 7, which will apply across all sectors, is designed to minimise the negative and unfair impact of strikes on the British public by ensuring that businesses and services can continue operating. Strikes in public services, such as education, can often mean parents have to stay at home with their children rather than go to work. Strikes in the rail sector stop commuters getting to work.
Removing Regulation 7 does not put in place any new barriers on an individual’s right to take part in lawful industrial action. Employment businesses will not be required to supply agency workers to businesses, rather the change that we are making simply provides the freedom to do so, should they wish to.
While we continue to work with the Welsh Government in a number of areas, employment and industrial relations law is a reserved matter for the UK Government. It is right that we seek to apply trade union law equally and fairly across Britain to ensure that services, such as train lines, are run as effectively as possible.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Wales Office:
What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on financial support for people in Wales affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on our financial support to people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
We have provided the Welsh Government with an extra 8.6 billion pounds to tackle the pandemic, that’s over £2,700 per person in Wales. That is on top of 7.4 billion pounds of additional UK Wide support through the welfare system.