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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that garment manufacturers in Leicester work with trade unions to set employee terms and conditions.

We are deeply concerned by reports of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers in Leicester.

Collective bargaining is largely a matter for individual employers, their employees and their trade unions. The Government encourages employers to engage with their workforce’s representatives, whether these be union or non-union representatives.

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and Leicester City Council, both members of the Taskforce that has been established in response to the allegations of labour abuse in Leicester, have engaged with the TUC on the issues in the garment trade. We are also working with industry through the Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol, a partnership between enforcement bodies and industry partners – including the British Retail Consortium, UK Fashion and the Textile Association – aimed at tackling all forms of labour exploitation in the garment trade