Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department’s consultation document entitled Make Work Pay: ending one-sided flexibility – reforms of zero hours and similar contracts, published on 2 June 2026, how many meetings with businesses his Department had when concluding the Government’s preference is to set the threshold within 8 to 20 hours per week.

Ministers and officials have engaged extensively with business, trade unions and representative organisations on the zero hours measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025, informing the development of the consultation.

We have held over 13 individual meetings and more than 6 roundtables with businesses on these measures. We have held over 11 individual meetings and more than 4 roundtables with trade unions alongside wider engagement on Make Work Pay. We continue to meet regularly with business representative organisations and trade unions.