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1346860

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
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	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Re-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, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, what steps have been taken by the Department to (a) investigate the use of fire and rehire tactics by executive non-departmental public bodies, (b) communicate the Government's policy on fire and rehire tactics to those bodies and (c) discourage the use of fire and rehire tactics by those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	33234
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have a role in the process of national government but are not part of a government department. They operate at arm’s length from Ministers, though a Minister will be responsible to Parliament for the NDPBs.</p><p> </p><p>Although we have not targeted NDPBs specifically in our communications, this Government has been clear that we expect all employers to treat their employees fairly and in the spirit of partnership. Using threats about firing and rehiring as a negotiation tactic is unacceptable. We expect employers and employees to negotiate new terms and conditions and there are laws around how this must be done, and protections in place when firms are considering redundancies.</p><p> </p><p>Last year, we asked the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) to collect evidence into how fire and rehire is being used by employers. This report was published on 8 June. We have asked Acas to produce better, more comprehensive, clearer guidance to help all employers explore all the options before considering ‘fire and rehire’ and encourage good employment relations practice. This will be relevant to all employers.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 19/07/2021 15:48:07 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1346862

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Re-employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, what steps his Department has taken to (a) investigate the use of fire and rehire tactics by its executive non-departmental public bodies, (b) communicate the Government's position on fire and rehire tactics to those bodies and (c) discourage the use of such tactics by those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	33235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government has been very clear that threatening fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic is completely unacceptable. We always expect employers to treat employees fairly and in the spirit of partnership working with trade unions, where relevant, constructively. We are confident that all non-departmental public bodies are aware of the Government’s position on this matter.</p><p>We work constructively with each non-departmental public body we have responsibility for and this includes when it comes to workforce management matters, however each is ultimately responsible for the management of their staff.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 19/07/2021 14:49:08 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1346863

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Re-employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, what steps his Department has taken to (a) investigate the use of fire and rehire tactics by its executive non-departmental public bodies, (b) communicate the Government's position on fire and rehire tactics to those bodies and )c) discourage the use of such tactics by those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	33236
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2021 answer text <p>The Department has a robust governance structure in place across its non-departmental public bodies, which ensures full visibility, and approval where required, of any planned redundancies. No additional communications or investigations have been necessary on ‘fire and rehire’.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 20/07/2021 15:52:32 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1346866

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Re-employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, what steps his Department has taken to (a) investigate the use of fire and rehire tactics by its executive non-departmental public bodies, (b) communicate the Government's position on fire and rehire tactics to those bodies and (c) discourage the use of such tactics by those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	33237
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government has been very clear that threatening fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic is completely unacceptable. We always expect employers to treat employees fairly and in the spirit of partnership working with trade unions, where relevant, constructively. We are confident that all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are aware of the Government’s position on this matter.</p><p> </p><p>We work constructively with each NDPB we have responsibility for and this includes when it comes to workforce management matters. However, each NDPB that does not employ civil servants is ultimately responsible for the management of its staff.</p><p>The Department has taken no recent action regarding the use of fire and rehire tactics in its executive NDPBs. Should information come to light that suggests this is an area of concern, then the Department would respond accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 20/07/2021 14:34:55 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1346867

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Department for International Trade
answering dept id	202
answering dept short name	International Trade
answering dept sort name	International Trade
hansard heading	Department for International Trade: Re-employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, what steps her Department has taken to (a) investigate the use of fire and rehire tactics by its executive non-departmental public bodies, (b) communicate the Government's position on fire and rehire tactics to those bodies and )c) discourage the use of such tactics by those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	33238
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government has been very clear that threatening fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic is completely unacceptable. The Government always expects employers to treat employees fairly and in the spirit of partnership working with trade unions, where relevant, constructively. The Government is confident that all non-departmental public bodies are aware of the Government’s position on this matter.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for International Trade (DIT) has only one non-departmental public body, the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), which was established on 1 June 2021. The TRA, like all non-departmental public bodies does not employ civil servants and is responsible for the management of its staff.</p><p> </p><p>DIT works constructively with the TRA when it comes to workforce management matters, however the TRA is ultimately responsible for the management of its staff. There is a Human Resources Memorandum of Understanding between DIT and the TRA, which sits alongside the Framework Agreement that is required for all Public Bodies. These documents outline how DIT will work with the TRA to support staff retention and redeployment policy.</p> answering member constituency Chelsea and Fulham answering member printed Greg Hands question first answered 22/07/2021 14:33:49 answering member 1526 label Biography information for Greg Hands
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1346510

registered interest
date	13/07/2021
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Re-employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 27 April 2021, Official Report, column 86WH, on the Government's policy on the inappropriate use by some employers of fire and rehire as a negotiation tactics, what steps his Department has taken to (a) investigate the use of and (b) discourage the use of fire and rehire negotiation tactics by executive non-departmental public bodies; and what steps he has taken to communicate the Government's policy on those practices to those bodies.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	32409
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-06-14/15260" target="_blank">PQ 15260</a> on 17 June 2021.</p> answering member constituency Hornchurch and Upminster answering member printed Julia Lopez question first answered 19/07/2021 16:57:53 answering member 4647 label Biography information for Julia Lopez
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1341258

registered interest
date	28/06/2021
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	Certification Officer: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department's plans for a levy on trade unions and employer bodies to fund the certification officer, what projections he has made for (a) the income levels that will determine whether a union is classed as (i) small, (ii) medium or (iii) large and (b) the levy apportioned to an individual organisation in the (A) small unions, (B) medium unions, (C) large unions, (D) union federations and (E) employer organisations category from April 2022.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	23213
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2021 answer text <p>The Government has taken steps to ensure the levy on trade unions and employers’ associations to fund the Certification Officer is fair and affordable. Our proposal, which is subject to change, is that smaller organisations will be exempt from the levy. All other organisations will pay the basic levy and higher income organisations will pay an additional rate on top of the basic levy, to cover exempt organisations. As a significant amount of the Certification Office’s time is spent on non-federated trade unions, an enhanced rate will be paid by those non-federated trade unions for whom the basic, additional and enhanced rate amounts to less than 2.5% of their income. No organisation will pay more than 2.5% of their income.</p><p> </p><p>It will be for the Certification Officer to set the levy amounts and income bands within the framework of the Certification Officer levy regulations.</p><p> </p><p>The Certification Officer has estimated that she is likely to need a budget of £1,150,000 from April 2022. Based on that estimate, and taking into account the current number of organisations subject to the levy and the annual income reported through annual returns, the Certification Office has made some projections as to the likely shape of the levy. These projections are, of course, subject to change, and will be updated once the regulations have been laid.</p><p> </p><ol><li>No organisation with an income of less than £105,000 will pay the levy.</li><li>Non-federated trade unions with an income of between £105,000 and £285,000 will pay £2600 per annum.</li><li>Non-federated trade unions with an income of between £285,000 and £455,000 will pay £7080 per annum.</li><li>Non-federated trade unions with an income of over £455,000 will pay £11350 per annum.</li><li>Employers’ associations and federated trade unions with an income of between £105,000 and £275,000 will pay £2600 per annum.</li><li>Employers’ associations and federated trade unions with an income over £275,000 will pay £6870 per annum.</li></ol> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 01/07/2021 15:43:49 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1337905

registered interest
date	17/06/2021
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive has identified hotspots of the Delta variant of covid-19; and whether the number of (a) health and safety workplace inspections undertaken by and (b) enforcement actions issued by the HSE has increased in those areas.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	17747
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2021 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is not responsible for identifying variant hotspots, however they closely monitor the information provided by public health authorities.</p><p>Through the Spot Check Programme, HSE has supported the enhanced response in surge and variant testing areas (including the Delta variant). They have increased checks across multiple areas to continue raising awareness of the needs for businesses to operate in a COVID-secure way, checked the measures implemented and, when requested, have assisted public health bodies in responding to workplace outbreaks. More than 5,400 additional checks have been completed since 24<sup>th</sup> May 2021 as part of this response. Where there are matters of concern, the dutyholder is referred for intervention by an inspector.</p><p>HSE’s evidence is that the vast majority of dutyholders are complying with the government guidance and there has been no change in HSE’s enforcement profile. Where contraventions are identified, the approach taken by inspectors to enforcement decisions is consistent across all areas of GB.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 22/06/2021 16:41:27 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1337907

registered interest
date	17/06/2021
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive plans to reclassify covid-19 as a serious workplace risk in response to the Delta variant of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	17748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2021 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) takes Covid-19 safety at work very seriously and is playing a critical role in the national response to the pandemic. HSE has recently carried out a review of the classification of Covid-19 within its Enforcement Management Model (EMM) and has no plans to undertake a further review at this time.</p><p>On 16 June 2021, HSE placed on its website the most recent review of HSE’s proportionality of enforcement decision making in the pandemic and how EMM supports this - <a href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/regulating-health-and-safety/enforcement-coronavirus.htm" target="_blank">https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/regulating-health-and-safety/enforcement-coronavirus.htm</a>.</p><p>The review included consideration of the effect on the working age population of new variants, known to be circulating at the time, to determine if there is any evidence to support the new variants posing a greater risk to this age group. Fully quantifying or isolating the effect of variants on overall infection or mortality rates is complex, due to confounding factors. Infection and mortality rates have fluctuated over the course of the pandemic and continue to do so, due to a number of factors including the degree of societal restrictions, changes in people’s working and social practices, seasonal variations in terms of vulnerability to viruses and most recently the roll-out of the vaccination programme.</p><p>HSE will continue to monitor the potential impact of new variants alongside the effectiveness of the vaccination programme, workplace transmission and health outcomes.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 22/06/2021 16:44:08 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald

1334199

registered interest
date	14/06/2021
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	Certification Officer: Finance
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 estimate his Department has made of the annual budget for the Certification Officer for the financial year starting on 1 April 2022.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough
tabling member printed	Andy McDonald
uin	15256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2021 answer text <p>The Certification Office cost: £883,370 in the year commencing 1 April 2017; £1,103,037 in the year commencing 1 April 2018; £1,097,132 in the year commencing 1 April 2019; and £1,079,812 in the year commencing 1 April 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The Certification Office budget for the year commencing 1 April 2021 has not yet formally been allocated. The Certification Office anticipates that the total cost of the office will be approximately £1,100,000.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s latest estimate is that the office will cost approximately £1,150,000 in the year commencing 1 April 2022. This figure includes an adjustment to account for the costs associated with implementing the additional powers granted to the Certification Officer by the Trade Union Act 2016, which are due to come into force from April 2022.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully grouped question UIN 15257 15258 question first answered 17/06/2021 17:01:24 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4269 label Biography information for Andy McDonald