Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Government's plans to legislate on employment law within 100 days, what his planned timetable if for consulting on those legislative proposals.

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

The Government is committed to delivering the plan to Make Work Pay in full. The Employment Rights Bill will be key to delivery and we are committed to introducing this legislation to improve the rights of workers within 100 days.The details of this are in rapid development

Some parts of the plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to review and implement. Work is underway to prepare consultations on several aspects of the plan. There are also parts of the plan that will not require primary legislation to implement. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the plan and are committed to carrying out full and comprehensive consultation on the implementation of the plan to Make Work Pay.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many separate Government consultations are planned to support implementation of the proposals relating to worker's rights; and what the planned scope of each consultation is.

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

The Government is committed to delivering the plan to Make Work Pay in full. The Employment Rights Bill will be key to delivery and we are committed to introducing this legislation to improve the rights of workers within 100 days.The details of this are in rapid development

Some parts of the plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to review and implement. Work is underway to prepare consultations on several aspects of the plan. There are also parts of the plan that will not require primary legislation to implement. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the plan and are committed to carrying out full and comprehensive consultation on the implementation of the plan to Make Work Pay.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timetable is for each consultation relating to worker's rights.

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

The Government is committed to delivering the plan to Make Work Pay in full. The Employment Rights Bill will be key to delivery and we are committed to introducing this legislation to improve the rights of workers within 100 days.The details of this are in rapid development

Some parts of the plan to Make Work Pay will take longer to review and implement. Work is underway to prepare consultations on several aspects of the plan. There are also parts of the plan that will not require primary legislation to implement. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the plan and are committed to carrying out full and comprehensive consultation on the implementation of the plan to Make Work Pay.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to allow workplace voting for trade union ballots; and whether he plans to introduce changes to secret trade union ballots.

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

The Government is committed to introduce modern, secure, electronic balloting and workplace balloting for trade union ballots. In doing so, we will ensure that the secrecy of the ballot is maintained.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether civil servants in his private office will have the right to switch off on (a) weekends and (b) evenings.

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

All DBT employees have an existing set of Terms and Conditions which confirm their expected hours of work. Given the nature of private office roles, employees may need to work additional or irregular hours, which is taken into account when determining their remuneration. The private offices operate as a team which ensures responsibility for being available to support Ministers outside of regular working hours is shared, work/life balance is monitored, and all employees can switch off regularly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his policy is on whether secondary picketing would apply in sectors subject to sectoral collective bargaining.

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

The Government has no intention of changing the law in relation to secondary action, including secondary picketing. We are working on establishing a Fair Pay Agreement in the social care sector and will bring forward proposals in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his policy is on electronic voting for trade union ballots; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of cyber security for electronic voting.

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

The Government has committed to introducing modern, secure, electronic balloting, while ensuring we maintain high standards of engagement, participation, and cyber security. Further information on the implementation of electronic balloting will be outlined in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in which sectors his Department plans to introduce sectoral collective bargaining.

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

The Employment Rights Bill will be introduced in the first 100 days in Government and will play a key role in delivering aspects of the Plan to Make Work Pay. This will include legislation on sectoral collective bargaining, with Adult Social Care being the first sector for this to be introduced.

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 cost to employers of plans to introduce statutory rights for trade union equality representatives.

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

The Government is committed to introducing statutory rights for trade union equality representatives to strengthen equality at work for all. Further information including impact assessments will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether it is his policy that trade unions should be able to initiate industrial action across all employers in a sector subject to collective bargaining.

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

The Government is committed to bringing in a new era of partnership that sees employers, unions and Government work together in co-operation and through negotiation – putting an end to the worst strikes chaos seen in decades under the previous administration. The Employment Rights Bill will be introduced in the first 100 days in Government and will play a key role in delivering aspects of the Plan to Make Work Pay. This will include legislation on sectoral collective bargaining, with Adult Social Care being the first sector for this to be introduced

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to (a) increase the level and (b) promote the use of trade union facility time in the private sector.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring there is sufficient facilities time for all trade union representatives, in both the public and private sector, so that they have capacity to represent and defend workers, negotiate with employers and conduct training.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what services are outsourced by his Department.

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

The department outsources direct support to businesses through our Business Support Helpline and through our Export Support Service in specific international markets, alongside mediation services related to responsible business behaviour. The department also funds outsourced legal advice and support to those postmasters affected by the Post Office IT issues.