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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing statutory protections of workers in relation to the practice of fire and rehire; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Paul Scully

This Government has been consistently clear that we do not accept the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic. The valid variation of contractually binding terms and conditions usually depends upon mutual agreement between the employer and worker as parties to the contract. Should an employer seek to enforce contractual variation without agreement, there are a number of legal obligations and protections they will need to comply with, depending on the circumstances. Where a business feels that redundancies must be made, they must follow the rules which include giving a notice period and consulting staff before a final decision is reached.