Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 12 December 2017, Official Report, column 166, what guidance has been issued on tipping; and what the evidential basis is for the statement there has been a significant improvement since his Department commissioned the review of tipping, gratuities and hospitality.

The Government has been clear that employers should not make unreasonable deductions from the tips their staff receive. Furthermore, guidance on the National Minimum Wage explains that income from tips can not be used to top up a worker’s pay to the National Minimum Wage. The Government consultation on tipping practices published in 2016 also explained the law on how income from tips should be handled.

Since the publication of that consultation, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and Unite the Union have established a joint Code of Practice for good practice in handling tips. The Government supports these efforts, and will respond to that consultation in due course.