Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy on the use of leverage tactics by trade unions during industrial disputes; and what assessment they have made of the impact of repealing the Trade Union Act 2016 on the frequency of the use of leverage tactics.

Industrial action must be a last resort in response to industrial disputes. The government encourages unions, employers and workers to engage and negotiate where disputes arise.

Leverage tactics are subject to the same legal framework as all trade union activity. The existing provisions of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, including the prohibition on secondary action and limits on picketing, remain in place alongside the general law on intimidation, harassment and interference with business.

The Government published an impact assessment on 21 October 2024, assessing the expected impacts of repealing the Trade Union Act 2016.