Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with businesses on the length of the reference period of the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Ministers and officials have engaged extensively with businesses and representative organisations on the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025, including on the length of the reference period.

We will continue this engagement as we move into the next stage of implementation. A full public consultation will seek views on all key elements of the right to guaranteed hours, including the length of the reference period.