Asked by: Gill German (Labour - Clwyd North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of current statutory rest break entitlements under the Working Time Regulations 1998; and whether he plans to review these provisions to improve working conditions for hourly paid workers.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Working Time Regulations establish minimum standards for rest periods, including a 20-minute rest break after every 6 hours’ work, a minimum rest period of 11 hours each 24-hour period and a minimum rest period of 24 hours in any 7-day period. The government encourages employers to provide more rest breaks where appropriate for them and their workers, but the law seeks to guarantee minimum rest breaks for all workers, including those paid hourly, while also providing flexibility for businesses. The government has no current plans to review these provisions.
Asked by: Gill German (Labour - Clwyd North)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to work with young people in developing policies on restrictions to social media use for under-16s.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has engaged extensively with children and young people as part of the Growing up in the Online World consultation and National Conversation, including through a dedicated version of the consultation for young people, alongside youth‑led sessions and workshops to hear directly from them.
Ministers and officials have also engaged in schools, youth settings and community groups, working with trusted organisations to reach diverse groups of young people.
The Government will continue to work closely with organisations representing the voices of children and young people as policy is developed.
Asked by: Gill German (Labour - Clwyd North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the current system whereby proof of posting is treated as proof of delivery for notices of intended prosecution for speeding offences; and whether she has considered introducing additional measures in cases where delivery is disputed.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Notices of Intended Prosecution are issued by the police, not by the Department for Transport. The Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 requires, for certain offences including speeding, that a person is warned at the time of the offence, or that a summons or notice of intended prosecution is served within 14 days, and provides that compliance with those requirements is presumed unless and until the contrary is proved.
Where service of a Notice of Intended Prosecution is disputed, it is for the court to consider the evidence in the individual case. The Department does not issue Notices of Intended Prosecution and enforcement is a matter for the police.
The Department has not made a separate assessment of this issue and has no current plans to introduce additional measures, but keeps the relevant legislative framework under review.