Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure that people for whom a park home is their sole or main residence will be eligible for support under the (a) Energy Bill Support Scheme and (b) other schemes providing support with the rising cost of energy bills.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will be available to households without a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier. This will be a payment of £400 per eligible household and is expected to include park home residents. On 19 December, the Government announced that the application portal for this extension will open later in January. Further details will be published shortly.
The Government has launched Help for Households on GOV.UK, outlining the full range of support available to help with the cost of living, including detail on types of support to help with winter heating costs.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the devolved Administrations on extending assistance through the Government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme or any other related forms of assistance with the rising cost of energy bills to people for whom a park home is their sole or main residence.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular conversations with Cabinet and Devolved Administration colleagues on a range of issues.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on behalf of people for whom a park home is their sole or main residence, who are not currently eligible for assistance through the Government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme or any other related forms of assistance with the rising cost of energy bills.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State receives representations on a wide range of issues. Officials at the Department for Business have had a number of conversations with stakeholder groups, including those who represent park home residents, to discuss the alternative funding arrangements under the Energy Bills Support Scheme AF. The Energy Bills Support Scheme AF will provide a discount of £400 on energy bills for around 900,000 households without a relationship with a domestic electricity supplier, including park homes.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent representations he has received on the potential impact of an international exhaustion regime on the publishing industry in the UK.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recently held a consultation on the UK’s future exhaustion of intellectual property rights regime. During the consultation period, the Intellectual Property Office held constructive discussions with stakeholders from multiple business sectors, including representatives of the publishing industry. The Government is currently assessing consultation responses and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish expanded guidance for employers on the practice of fire and rehire; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
This Government has been consistently clear that we do not accept the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic.
Earlier this year we asked Acas to produce more comprehensive, clearer guidance to help all employers explore all the options before considering ‘fire and rehire’ and encourage good employment relations practice. Acas will publish the guidance shortly.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what communication his Department has had with (a) private companies and (b) public sector employers with the purpose of dissuading them from engaging in the practice of fire and rehire; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has made clear to all employers, including those in the private and public sector, that using threats to ‘fire and rehire’ as a tactic to pressure workers during negotiations is unacceptable. We have been consistent in telling employers that the use of firing and rehiring tactics in negotiations is unacceptable. I made a statement in the House in June urging employers to negotiate fairly and openly.
Earlier this year we asked Acas to produce more comprehensive, clearer guidance to help make our expectations clearer. It will set out the ways employers can explore all the options before considering ‘fire and rehire’ and encourage good employment relations practice.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing statutory protections of workers in relation to the practice of fire and rehire; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
This Government has been consistently clear that we do not accept the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic. The valid variation of contractually binding terms and conditions usually depends upon mutual agreement between the employer and worker as parties to the contract. Should an employer seek to enforce contractual variation without agreement, there are a number of legal obligations and protections they will need to comply with, depending on the circumstances. Where a business feels that redundancies must be made, they must follow the rules which include giving a notice period and consulting staff before a final decision is reached.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the total monetary value of reductions to previously agreed terms and conditions arising from the practice of fire and rehire on (a) wages, (b) holiday pay, (c) maternity leave and (d) pensions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department asked Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) to conduct an evidence gathering exercise to learn more about the use of fire and rehire practices. This report was published on 8 June and is available from https://www.acas.org.uk/fire-and-rehire-report. In addition, the Department has also welcomed further evidence from trade unions and employers on the nature and scale of the issue.
The Government has been consistently clear that we do not accept the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic. Earlier this year we asked Acas to produce more comprehensive, clearer guidance to help all employers explore all the options before considering ‘fire and rehire’ and encourage good employment relations practice. Acas will publish the guidance shortly.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) private companies and (b) public sector employers who have engaged in the practice of fire and rehire since the start of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department asked Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) to conduct an evidence gathering exercise to learn more about the use of fire and rehire practices. This report was published on 8 June and is available from https://www.acas.org.uk/fire-and-rehire-report. In addition, the Department has also welcomed further evidence from trade unions and employers on the nature and scale of the issue.
The Government has been consistently clear that we do not accept the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic. Earlier this year we asked Acas to produce more comprehensive, clearer guidance to help all employers explore all the options before considering ‘fire and rehire’ and encourage good employment relations practice. Acas will publish the guidance shortly.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received from (a) individual companies, (b) employers organisations and (c) trade unions on the practice of fire and rehire; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
This Government has been consistently clear that we do not accept the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets regularly with a diverse range of stakeholders including trade unions and employers to discuss various policy matters, across the sectors covered by the Department. The Department has also welcomed further evidence from trade unions and employers on the nature and scale of the issue.