Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on levels of (a) employment, (b) unemployment and (c) economic inactivity.

The Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments was published on October 21 and can be found here. It illustrates that the provision of better-quality work, more family friendly employment protections and flexible working rights could increase the range of jobs and working patterns that suit individuals. Further, the Impact Assessment finds evidence that the Bill could particularly benefit those who are currently inactive or intermittently working due to childcare responsibilities, long term illness or disabilities. The Impact Assessment also deemed the risk of significant unemployment effects as a result of the Bill to be ‘low’.