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1081798

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2019
	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	Labour Market: Inspections
	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 increase the number of labour market inspectors in line with the International Labour Organisation benchmark of one for every 10,000 workers.
	tabling member constituency	Aberavon
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kinnock
	uin	228097
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>Government is exploring options for a single labour market enforcement body – we will publish proposals on this for consultation shortly. More recently we announced that this consultation will consider extending the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s licensing scheme to further sectors and that we will ensure trade unions and businesses are consulted on the strategic direction of labour market enforcement.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the forthcoming Spending Review we will consider what level of funding is appropriate to ensure that it is adequately resourced to deliver its strengthened remit.</p><p> </p><p>Government is committed to ensuring fair and effective enforcement. We have taken concrete measures to increase the number of labour market inspectors and extend their coverage.</p><p> </p><ul><li>Government has increased funding for HMRC’s enforcement of the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018/19. The NMW enforcement team went from 140 staff in 2015-16 to 424 in 2017/18 (measured on a full-time equivalent basis).</li><li>Funding for the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has also risen in the last two years to reflect the expansion of its remit to tackle labour exploitation. The GLAA now receives over £7m per year in funding, up from £4.5m in 2016/17.</li><li>The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate has seen its funding increase from £0.5m in 2016/17 to £0.725m in 2018/19.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Good Work Plan went further, setting out a number of measures to improve state enforcement of core employment rights. In addition to introducing state enforcement of holiday pay for vulnerable workers, we also committed to expand protection of agency workers to cover umbrella companies.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 11/03/2019 17:43:56 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 106417 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4359 label Biography information for Stephen Kinnock

1081799

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2019
	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	Minimum Wage: Non-payment
	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 increase prosecution and conviction rates for non-payment of the minimum wage.
	tabling member constituency	Aberavon
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kinnock
	uin	228098
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2019 answer text <p>The enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage (NMW) is a top priority for the Government; we have increased HMRC’s enforcement budget to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018-19.</p><p> </p><p>Last year, HMRC identified a record £15.6 million in arrears of wages for over 200,000 workers. In addition, HMRC issued £14.1 million in financial penalties to employers who breached NMW rules; the highest amount ever.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to civil penalties, since April 2016 Labour Market Enforcement Agencies have been making use of new powers to issue Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings and Orders. A two year custodial sentence and/or unlimited fine is available where a business breaches an LME order.</p><p> </p><p>Prosecution is reserved for the most egregious breaches of NMW law. In most cases it is not the best approach to help workers. Criminal sanctions against employers can mean that workers must wait considerably longer for their lost earnings to be paid back.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 11/03/2019 17:42:37 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 106418 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4359 label Biography information for Stephen Kinnock

1059742

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2019
	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: 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 assessment he has made of the effect of (a) Post Office and (b) Crown Post Office closures on the local economy in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
	tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
	uin	220235
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 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> </p><p>The management of the Post Office network is an operational matter for the Post Office Limited who are responsible for maintaining the network of branches and achieving the accessibility criteria set by Government. The Post Office does not have a branch closure programme, rather they are franchising branches to ensure services remain in communities and are actively looking for areas of the country where there is a demand for Post Office services, with over 350 local branches opened since April 2017 in new locations. Branches can sometimes close for reasons beyond the Post Office’s control and when this happens the Post Office seeks to restore services for the communities affected.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 19/02/2019 16:13:19 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 102489 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty

1063810

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	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	Gratuities
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2018 to Question 178527 on Gratuities, when the Government plans to publish a response to the consultation on tips, gratuities, cover and service charges which closed on 27 June 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	222745
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government has announced its intention to legislate to ensure that all tips left to workers are kept by them in full. In some sectors, tips are a significant part of staff income. It is only right that workers keep the full value of tips left in recognition of good service and hard work.</p><p>This commitment was published as part of the Government’s Good Work Plan, which represents the largest upgrade to workplace rights in a generation. Full details of legislation on tips and a response to the 2016 consultation on tips, gratuities, cover and service charges will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 222747 question first answered 27/02/2019 13:28:46 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 103720 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1063812

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	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	Gratuities
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the oral contribution of The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of 12 February 2019, Official Report, column 724, on Small Businesses, for what reason he is not bringing forward legislative proposals on tipping, gratuities and service charges until the next Session.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	222747
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government has announced its intention to legislate to ensure that all tips left to workers are kept by them in full. In some sectors, tips are a significant part of staff income. It is only right that workers keep the full value of tips left in recognition of good service and hard work.</p><p>This commitment was published as part of the Government’s Good Work Plan, which represents the largest upgrade to workplace rights in a generation. Full details of legislation on tips and a response to the 2016 consultation on tips, gratuities, cover and service charges will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 222745 question first answered 27/02/2019 13:28:46 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 103721 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1087281

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	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	Agency Workers: Equal 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, pursuant to his oral contribution of 6 March 2019, Official Report, column 994, on the Swedish derogation, what representations he has received on the timing of the abolition of the Swedish derogation; and when he plans to respond to those representations.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	231538
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to upgrading workers’ rights as we leave the EU, not reduce them. The Good Work Plan represents a large part of this commitment and is the biggest upgrade in a generation. The Department regularly engages with stakeholders on the reforms announced in the Good Work Plan. Secondary legislation repealing the Swedish Derogation was laid on 17 December 2018 and approved by the House of Commons’ Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee on 6 March 2019. Subject to approval from the House of Lords, all agency workers will be entitled to the same pay as permanent staff after 12 weeks in an assignment from 6 April 2020. This will allow time for businesses to realign their contractual arrangements, both with their workers and the end hirers.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 18/03/2019 15:42:23 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 108017 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1123439

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2019
	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	Living Wage and Minimum Wage: Non-payment
	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 publish the names of employers who do not pay the national minimum or national living wage.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	248059
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>Enforcement of the National Minimum and National Living Wage (NMW) is a priority for the Government. We are taking tough action against the minority of employers who underpay; in 2018/19 HM Revenue &amp; Customs NMW identified a record £24.4 million in arrears for over 220,000 workers and issued over £17 million in penalties to non-compliant employers. Since 2015 we have doubled our budget to enforce the NMW.</p><p>To date, we have named almost 2,000 employers who underpaid through the NMW Naming Scheme. As a result of recommendations made by the Director of Labour Market Enforcement, we have now begun a review of the Scheme to ensure it continues to effectively deliver our policy objective of ensuring workers are paid fairly for the work they do. This work is ongoing and will be completed in due course.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 07/05/2019 16:05:32 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 116111 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1063814

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2019
	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	Agency Workers: Equal 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, pursuant to his oral contribution of 17 December 2018, Official Report,column 573, when the the repeal of the Swedish Derogation will be implemented.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	222749
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to upholding and extending workers’ rights. We laid the statutory instrument to repeal the Swedish derogation on 17 December 2018 and, subject to parliamentary approval, it will come into force from 6 April 2020.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 27/02/2019 13:28:52 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 103722 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1091216

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	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	Agency Workers: Equal 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, pursuant to his oral contribution of 6 March 2019, Official Report, column 994, on the Swedish derogation, whether he has finished reflecting upon the representations he has received from the trade unions on the timing of the abolition of the Swedish derogation; and what the outcome has been of his reflections.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
	uin	234197
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Through the Good Work Plan, published in December 2018, the Government has committed to upgrading workers’ rights and protecting the most vulnerable workers. This represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in over 20 years. The Government has considered all representations made to it about the Swedish derogation and is committed to its repeal. Secondary legislation repealing the Swedish Derogation has already been approved by the House of Commons’ Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee on 6 March 2019. Subject to approval from the House of Lords, from April 2020 all agency workers will be entitled to the same pay as permanent staff after 12 weeks in an assignment. This timeframe allows businesses to realign their contractual arrangements, both with their workers and the end hirers.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 26/03/2019 15:10:25 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 109562 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1059916

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2019
	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	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, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2019 to Question 216363 on Pay, for what reason his Department does not hold estimates of the total value of wages unlawfully unpaid in the last year.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds East
	tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
	uin	220297
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government does not hold estimates of the total value of wages unlawfully unpaid.</p><p> </p><p>The enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage (NMW) is a top priority for the Government; we have increased HMRC’s enforcement budget to a record high of £26.3 million for 2018-19.</p><p> </p><p>The position of Director of Labour Market Enforcement was created in 2017 with an obligation to assess the scale and nature of labour market non-compliance. The Director draws upon a wide range of information and intelligence, including the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.</p><p> </p><p>The Director utilises this intelligence to identify future labour market enforcement priorities for the HM Revenue and Customs Minimum Wage team, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.</p><p> </p><p>The Director’s Labour Market Enforcement Strategy for 2018 to 2019 can be found below: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/labour-market-enforcement-strategy-2018-to-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/labour-market-enforcement-strategy-2018-to-2019</a>. The recommendations set out within the strategy were overwhelmingly adopted by the Government in December 2018.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst grouped question UIN 220298 question first answered 19/02/2019 16:16:53 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 102486 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon