Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1222036

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Clothing: Manufacturing Industries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department plans to take to enforce the minimum wage rules for all garment factory workers (a) in Leicester and (b) throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).</p><p> </p><p>All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC continue to take action against employers who ignore the law, ensuring that workers receive the wages they are entitled to.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC take seriously and review all complaints from workers referred by the Acas helpline, or received via the online complaints form, and investigate as appropriate. If anyone thinks they are not receiving at least the minimum wage, they can contact Acas, in confidence, on 0300 123 1100 or submit a query online using the link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints</a> .</p><p> </p><p>As part of continuing operational activity in Leicester and throughout the UK, over the past two years HMRC have completed over 50 investigations into textile traders, uncovering over £125,000 in wage arrears for more than 280 workers and issuing over £240,000 in penalties.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 16/07/2020 13:36:35 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222037

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Clothing: Manufacturing Industries
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 garment companies in Leicester comply with their responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71194
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government expects UK businesses to act according to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the authoritative, voluntary international framework, which steers all businesses worldwide on these matters and sets expectations that they should respect human rights.</p><p> </p><p>The UK was the first country in the world to produce a national action plan, in 2013, to respond to the voluntary Guiding Principles and subsequently we were also the first to review and update our national plan, in 2016. Our action plan confirms the expectation that all our businesses should comply with all applicable laws; identify and prevent human rights risks; and behave in line with the Guiding Principles, including in management of their supply chains here and overseas.</p><p> </p><p>Following the increase in COVID-19 infections in Leicester and fresh allegations of links to unsafe working conditions, labour exploitation, and potential modern slavery in textiles factories, the National Crime Agency have launched an investigation into these serious concerns. If evidence of wrongdoing and illegal exploitation comes to light, the perpetrators will face the full force of the law.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 17/07/2020 13:11:52 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222038

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Clothing: Manufacturing Industries
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 his Department has to encourage trade union membership to help tackle exploitation in Leicester’s garment industry.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71195
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the positive role trade unions can play in the workplace, however collective bargaining is largely a matter for individual employers, their employees and their trade unions. Where possible, industrial relations should be undertaken on a voluntary basis, although if workers want a union to represent them, they have the means to secure this through the CAC statutory recognition procedure.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 17/07/2020 13:12:02 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222039

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Conditions of Employment
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 discussions officials of his Department have had with representatives of (a) trade unions and (b) civil society groups on labour rights (i) protections and (ii) violations in supply chains.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71196
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>As part of his annual strategy 2018/19, the former Director of Labour Market Enforcement - Sir David Metcalf – recommended that the Government introduce joint responsibility to encourage the top of the chain to take an active role to tackle labour market breaches through their supply chain. Sir David also recommended that provisions should be made to enable the temporary embargo of “hot goods” to disrupt supply chain activity where significant non-compliance is found.</p><p> </p><p>The Government consulted on these recommendations as part of a wider consultation on the creation of a new Single Enforcement Body for employment rights. During the consultation period, officials from the Department discussed labour market breaches in supply chains with a range of representatives of trade unions and civil society groups. This included a dedicated roundtable to discuss non-compliance in supply chains, and a meeting with members of the Modern Slavery Strategy Implementation Group to further discuss the topic. These discussions have been of great value and the Government response to the consultation will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 17/07/2020 13:12:13 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222040

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Modern Slavery Act 2015 Independent Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will adopt the recommendations from the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015: Final report, CP 100, published in May 2019, to strengthen the domestic legal framework for ensuring corporate accountability for modern slavery in supply chains.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71197
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 established the UK as the first country in the world to require businesses to report annually on steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. The Government is committed to continuously strengthening our approach to increase transparency in supply chains. In 2018, the Home Office commissioned an Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act to look at where the Act has worked well and where it could be more effective, including section 54.</p><p>The Government accepted the majority (see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-independent-review-of-the-modern-slavery-act)of the Review’s recommendations and on 9 July 2019 the Home Office launched a public consultation seeking views on an ambitious package of measures to strengthen the Act’s transparency legislation. These included requiring organisations to report on specific topics, introducing a single reporting deadline and extending transparency to the public sector. The Government will publish its response to the consultation this summer.</p><p>We are also developing a new gov.uk registry for statements published under the Modern Slavery Act, to enable greater scrutiny from consumers, investors, civil society and others and drive a “race to the top”.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 20/07/2020 12:56:42 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222041

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Manufacturing Industries
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of making it compulsory for (a) garment industry and (b) other companies to publish a full list of their supplier facilities on an annual basis.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government encourages businesses to be open and transparent to respond to consumers’ legitimate interest in where and how the products they buy have been manufactured.</p><p> </p><p>UK listed companies are required to report on impacts material to their business including information about supply chains where this is necessary for an understanding of the business as part of their annual reports.</p><p> </p><p>Separately, the Modern Slavery Act specifically requires UK large businesses to publish supply chain transparency statements in a prominent place on their website.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 17/07/2020 13:12:23 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222042

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Health and Safety Executive
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to (a) adequately fund and (b) strengthen the powers of the Health and Safety Executive to support their proactive inspection of (a) premises occupied by the garment industry in Leicester and (b) other workplaces.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71199
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>HSE is funded to deliver its planned regulatory role and the government has made available up to an extra £14.19 million to support the provision of Covid-19 advice and additional regulatory activities.</p><p> </p><p>Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, HSE has a sufficient range of powers to enforce health and safety law in the workplaces it regulates. HSE continues to regulate in areas of greatest risk and build capability for proactively inspecting workplaces across the country to target regions and industries where concerns of Covid-19 transmission are greatest.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 17/07/2020 13:38:17 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222043

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Manufacturing Industries: Leicester
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to investigate Leicester’s garment factories for alleged instances of (a) wage theft, (b) denial of benefits and (c) modern slavery conditions.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71200
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the appalling reports of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers in Leicester. The Government will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable workers for commercial gain and is committed to taking action against those who seek to do so.</p><p>Investigations of criminal offences are the responsibility of operational law enforcement partners, who have the appropriate powers to do so. Following these allegations, the National Crime Agency have launched an investigation into these serious concerns. This has been taken forward using a partnership approach, using the expertise of several bodies, including the Health and Safety Executive, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Leicestershire Police.</p><p>Workers can report information or concerns about suspected labour exploitation in confidence through the telephone to the GLAA or to the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline. For advice on the legal minimum wage, working hours and employment agencies, workers can call the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service helpline for free.</p><p>We have also committed to going further on state enforcement and establishing a single enforcement body for employment rights to better protect vulnerable workers and create a level playing field for the majority of employers that comply with the law.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 71211 question first answered 20/07/2020 15:53:50 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222044

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Clothing: Manufacturing Industries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will undertake a review of garment distributors' (a) purchasing practices and (b) costing models to assess whether those practices and models support the payment of the minimum wage by garment industry suppliers.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71201
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>The Department does not have any current plans to review garment distributors’ purchasing practices or costing models.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 17/07/2020 13:12:36 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe

1222045

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Clothing: Manufacturing Industries
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of suspending the sales and production of allegedly exploitative companies in the garment industry sector pending investigation into (a) safety measures and (b) reports of fraud at factories supplying those companies.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Claudia Webbe
uin	71202
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the appalling reports of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers and welcome all intelligence on this issue. The Government will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable workers for commercial gain and already spends £33 million a year on state enforcement of employment rights. Where non-compliance is found, the enforcement bodies will deploy a range of actions ranging from providing specific advice to employers, issuing enforcement notices, prosecutions and director disqualification.</p><p>In his 2018/19 Labour Market Enforcement Strategy, the previous Director of Labour Market Enforcement recommended introducing joint responsibility for brands at the top of a supply chain where non-compliance is found. He also recommended provisions for the temporary embargo of “hot goods” to disrupt supply chain activity where significant non-compliance is found. The Government agrees that businesses at the top of the supply chain need to work with their suppliers to take corrective action when non-compliance is identified but recognises that any measures should be proportionate. Government has consulted on these recommendations as part of the Single Enforcement Body consultation and will publish the response in due course.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 17/07/2020 13:12:48 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4848 label Biography information for Claudia Webbe