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1135592

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Redundancy Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to reduce the minimum time served as an employee before entitlement to statutory redundancy pay begins.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
	tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
	uin	270804
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The two-year qualifying period for entitlement to statutory redundancy pay strikes the balance between providing fairness to employees who have demonstrated commitment to their employer and avoiding undue financial burdens on employers or the National Insurance Fund.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The statutory redundancy scheme is intended to provide a minimum “safety net” of entitlement for vulnerable employees, and the legislation leaves the parties free to negotiate and agree improvements on the statutory entitlement according to their own priorities, needs and circumstances, and what can be afforded.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 03/07/2019 16:13:17 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1135275

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment Agencies: Vetting
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with employment agencies on the practice of blacklisting.
	tabling member constituency	Hove
	tabling member printed	Peter Kyle
	uin	270409
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government takes blacklisting extremely seriously. Blacklisting is completely unacceptable and has no place in modern employment relations. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 make it unlawful for an individual or organisation to compile, sell or make use of a blacklist of trade union members or those who have taken part in trade union activities.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with employment agencies on this matter and no assessment has been made of the prevalence of blacklisting by employment agencies. However, since the introduction of the 2010 regulations, no evidence has been presented to the Government or the Information Commissioner that these practices are recurring, whether this be in employment agencies or elsewhere.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 270410 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:09:20 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4505 label Biography information for Peter Kyle

1135276

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment Agencies: Vetting
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of blacklisting by employment agencies.
	tabling member constituency	Hove
	tabling member printed	Peter Kyle
	uin	270410
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government takes blacklisting extremely seriously. Blacklisting is completely unacceptable and has no place in modern employment relations. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 make it unlawful for an individual or organisation to compile, sell or make use of a blacklist of trade union members or those who have taken part in trade union activities.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with employment agencies on this matter and no assessment has been made of the prevalence of blacklisting by employment agencies. However, since the introduction of the 2010 regulations, no evidence has been presented to the Government or the Information Commissioner that these practices are recurring, whether this be in employment agencies or elsewhere.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 270409 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:09:20 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4505 label Biography information for Peter Kyle

1135291

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Sharing Economy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support contracting and the flexible economy.
	tabling member constituency	Salford and Eccles
	tabling member printed	Rebecca Long Bailey
	uin	270424
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>Through our Good Work Plan reforms this Government is delivering the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation, and working to ensure that the UK labour market strikes the balance between flexibility and worker protections.</p><p>We have already taken significant steps to ensure that the UK's flexible economy works for all, We have passed legislation that means almost 300,000 workers, including people on casual or flexible hours contracts, will have a right to a payslip for the first time. This helps workers in the flexible economy to better understand their pay and identify if their employer is not meeting their minimum pay obligations.</p><p>We have quadrupled the penalty that Employment Tribunals can use where employers have shown malice, spite or gross oversight. This reform acts as an important deterrent against poor employment practices and is an important measure to protect the rights of those working in our flexible economy.</p><p>We have also helped agency workers by abolishing the Swedish Derogation, removing a legal loophole to secure equal pay for up to 120,000 agency workers.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 03/07/2019 15:43:23 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4396 label Biography information for Rebecca Long Bailey

1135371

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Bereavement Leave: Parents
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to introduce a statutory right to paid leave for bereaved parents who experience ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
	uin	270284
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The loss of a child, including the loss of a pregnancy, is devastating for parents.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is currently working to implement a new statutory right to Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for eligible parents who lose a child under the age of 18, or suffer a still-birth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. We expect the new right will apply from April 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The policy provides a statutory minimum and we encourage employers to go beyond this where possible. Many employers will have an existing compassionate leave policy or will operate one on a discretionary basis following such losses during pregnancy. We strongly encourage employers to be sensitive and considerate at such a time.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 02/07/2019 14:10:01 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1134810

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment: Pregnancy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that employers meet their legal obligations to pregnant employees.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
	tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
	uin	269738
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government has taken a number of steps to increase employers’ awareness of their legal obligations to pregnant employees. This has included working with ACAS to develop comprehensive advice and guidance and updating the content on the GOV.UK website. The Government’s recent consultation on pregnancy and maternity discrimination also asked how effective the current approach is in helping employees and employers to understand their rights and obligations. We will be publishing the Government response in due course.</p><p>The Equality Advisory and Support Service advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights, across England, Scotland and Wales. Where an employer fails to meet its obligations, a pregnant employee can seek redress through an employment tribunal.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 269739 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:09:42 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1134811

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment: Pregnancy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what action will be taken against employers who do not meet their legal obligations to pregnant employees.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
	tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
	uin	269739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government has taken a number of steps to increase employers’ awareness of their legal obligations to pregnant employees. This has included working with ACAS to develop comprehensive advice and guidance and updating the content on the GOV.UK website. The Government’s recent consultation on pregnancy and maternity discrimination also asked how effective the current approach is in helping employees and employers to understand their rights and obligations. We will be publishing the Government response in due course.</p><p>The Equality Advisory and Support Service advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights, across England, Scotland and Wales. Where an employer fails to meet its obligations, a pregnant employee can seek redress through an employment tribunal.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 269738 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:09:42 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1134929

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Public Houses: Closures
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce trends in the number of pubs closing each year.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	269679
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>Several measures have been introduced across Government to support pubs, including a freeze on beer duty announced at Budget 2018. This means that the price of a typical pint of beer in 2019 is 2p lower than it would have been had duty increased with inflation and 14p lower than it otherwise would have been since ending the beer duty escalator in 2013.</p><p> </p><p>Many small pubs are benefitting from the business rates retail discount announced at Budget 2018, which cuts bills for eligible businesses by one third from April 2019 for two years. It is available to eligible businesses with a rateable value below £51,000.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, some 2,000 pubs have been listed as Assets of Community Value (ACVs), meaning that if they are put up for sale, the community can have up to six months to bid to buy them. Planning regulations which came into effect in May 2017 removed permitted development rights from all pubs, meaning that planning permission must now be obtained prior to change of use or demolition.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the Government’s recent announcement of a tourism sector deal, as part of the Industrial Strategy, will be a boost for pubs and the hospitality industry.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 03/07/2019 16:13:11 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1134981

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Electrical Goods: Secondhand Goods
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that second-hand electrical products sold online meet the relevant safety standards.
	tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
	tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
	uin	269803
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 any distributor, including those selling second-hand goods online, must act with due care to ensure that electrical products are safe.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the challenge in applying and enforcing legislation to online sales, where consumers can import goods directly from outside the UK. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) was set up, in part, to meet the evolving challenges of product safety by responding to the increasing rate of product innovation, the growth in online shopping and expanding international trade.</p><p> </p><p>OPSS is gathering evidence on the online sales of second-hand electrical goods and the prevalence of these sales. It will use this information to provide advice to consumers and to sellers of goods about their responsibilities when selling or buying second-hand electrical goods online.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 02/07/2019 14:09:55 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

1134483

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Post Offices: Bank Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much and what proportion of fees paid by banks to the Post Office Limited have been paid to sub-postmasters in the most recent period for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Motherwell and Wishaw
	tabling member printed	Marion Fellows
	uin	269081
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK; this is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.</p><p>The Government welcomes the development of banking services at post offices and the recently announced increased fees for postmasters. Payments to the Post Office and to postmasters under the Banking Framework agreement are commercially confidential and cannot be publicly disclosed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 02/07/2019 14:10:19 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4440 label Biography information for Marion Fellows