We are committed to supporting all workers across the UK and have recently brought forward several reforms which will help protect workers in the retail and distribution sector.<\/p>
<\/p>
In April 2022 we made sure 2.5 million people received a pay rise raising the National Minimum and National Living Wages. This was the largest ever cash increase to the National Living Wage and will put over £1,000 a year into a full-time workers\u2019 pay packet, helping to ease cost of living pressures.<\/p>
<\/p>
Additionally, on 6 July we brought forward legislation to widen the ban on exclusivity clauses, which restrict staff from working for multiple employers, to contracts where the guaranteed weekly income is equivalent to or below the Lower Earnings Limit of £123 a week.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Hunt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Loughborough"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Hunt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-07-26T13:10:38.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Distributive Trade: Conditions of Employment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to protect workers' rights in the retail and distribution sector in response to the Taylor Review.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"} ], "uin" : "39815"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1490523", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1490523/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/strong><\/p> The Department has established processes to prevent, manage and mitigate medicine shortages in England, including in High Wycombe. We work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry and the National Health Service to maintain overall supply. Local pharmacies have specific commercial arrangements in place to ensure the continuity of supplies.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4492", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Maria Caulfield"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewes"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Maria Caulfield"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-07-26T16:29:43.797Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Drugs: High Wycombe"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle disparities in regional medicine supply in High Wycombe in comparison to other areas in NHS England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"}
], "uin" : "39816"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1490525", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1490525/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Ministerial Statement of 4 November 2019 makes clear that the pause on shale gas exploration and extraction applies specifically to operations that require Hydraulic Fracturing Consent. The definition of associated hydraulic fracturing is set out under section 4B of the Petroleum Act 1998 (inserted by Section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015), and involves the injection of more than 10,000 cubic metres of fluid in total, or more than 1,000 cubic metres of fluid per stage.<\/p> Activities outside of this definition are not included in the pause.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1526", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Greg Hands"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chelsea and Fulham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Greg Hands"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-07-26T09:25:27.813Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fracking"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to explore alternative methods to fracking for extracting shale gas.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"}
], "uin" : "39817"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1489935", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1489935/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The process of awarding the licence to run the National Lottery is governed by the National Lottery etc. Act (1993)\u200b\u200b. Under the Act, the Gambling Commission has a duty to ensure that any person who either runs or benefits from the running of the National Lottery is fit and proper and that the Licensee\u2019s operation meets high standards of propriety. The award of the licence is distinct from an acquisition - at no point is the operator appointed to run the lottery the owner of the National Lottery as an asset. The 4th National Lottery licence is due to begin in 2024.<\/p> During the competition to run the 4th National Lottery licence, the Commission carried out fit and proper tests on all 4 final stage applicants. Fit and proper checks examine the identity, integrity, criminality and financial standing of those who run, or benefit from running, the National Lottery, or are applying to do so. As part of its duties under the Act, the Commission cannot award the licence unless it is satisfied that the proposed licensee is fit and proper. The Commission is also required to revoke a licence if it becomes satisfied that the licensee is no longer, or indeed never was, fit and proper.<\/p> Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Gambling Commission, as a responsible regulator, sought assurances that none of the final stage applicants were impacted by sanctions against the Russian regime. The Commission was satisfied that this was the case.<\/p>