To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Trade Unions
Wednesday 21st January 2026

Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the consultation on rights of trade unions to access workplaces, how many responses did the consultation receive, and what percentage of those responses were from a) SMEs, b) other sized businesses, c) trade unions, and d) any other organisations.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government is carefully reviewing responses to the consultation and will publish its formal response in due course. This will include a breakdown of respondents.


Written Question
Trade Unions: Small Businesses
Wednesday 21st January 2026

Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Make Work Pay: Right of Trade Unions to Access Workplaces, published on 23 October 2025, what discussions he has had with business organisations about the raising of the threshold to exempt SMEs with a headcount less than 250 employees.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As part of the consultation process, we engaged with business organisations and unions on proposals put forward in the public consultation, including the proposed exemption from statutory access provisions for employers of a certain size. We are carefully reviewing all responses to this consultation and will publish a formal response in due course.