Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed union access rules on small businesses; and if he will consider exemptions.

The government is introducing the new trade union right of access in a regulated and responsible manner, ensuring it is proportionate and workable for employers and unions. We recognise that smaller employers may find it more difficult to facilitate trade union access. That is why, following consultation at the end of 2025, we are setting out in secondary legislation an exemption for employers with fewer than 21 employees from statutory access provisions. This exemption will not apply to statutorily supported national bargaining frameworks, such as the Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care, however it will mean that the majority of micro-businesses and small employers will not be within scope of the policy.