Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans the Fair Work Agency has to collect data on Overseas Domestic Worker visa holders at risk of exploitation; and in what way this data will inform the Agency's enforcement priorities.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Fair Work Agency (FWA) has taken on the former Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s responsibility for enforcing legislation relating to labour exploitation and modern slavery.
Workers on Overseas Domestic Worker visas have the same protections and rights under employment law as British and settled workers. All employers are expected to comply with UK employment law.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 provides a robust legal framework for safe and effective information sharing and data gathering between specified bodies. The FWA will use this framework to help inform and make decisions on future priorities.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
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 the structures in place for the Fair Work Agency to collaborate with other Government departments to (a) prevent and (b) disrupt modern slavery.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Fair Work Agency will take on the full remit of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).
Collaborating with other government bodies will be crucial to the Fair Work Agency effectively enforcing employment rights. We have ensured it will be able to share information with specified bodies where disclosures are relevant to their statutory function.
The Government is committed to ensuring the Fair Work Agency has what it needs to do its job. The Bill therefore provides for the transfer of existing staff to ensure we retain the relevant expertise.
Asked by: Chris Murray (Labour - Edinburgh East and Musselburgh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has for the future of the Fair Work Agency; what statutory duties it will assume from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority in responding to modern slavery and human trafficking; and what (a) resources, (b) staffing and (c) training he expects them to need.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Fair Work Agency will take on the full remit of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).
Collaborating with other government bodies will be crucial to the Fair Work Agency effectively enforcing employment rights. We have ensured it will be able to share information with specified bodies where disclosures are relevant to their statutory function.
The Government is committed to ensuring the Fair Work Agency has what it needs to do its job. The Bill therefore provides for the transfer of existing staff to ensure we retain the relevant expertise.