Found: As well as improving access to flexible working, the Employment Rights Bill will reduce the prevalence

Found: competing considerations for employers, including those related to policy proposed in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: government plans to make flexible working the "default" for all workers as part of the Employment Rights Bill

Found: interventions proposed in Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life no reference is made to the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Through the Employment Rights Bill, the Government is delivering the biggest upgrade in employment rights

Found: Commission Report; and delivered legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Letter from the Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection relating to Employment Rights Bill

Found: The new Employment Rights Bill will ensure that there is a Fair Work Agency.

Found: We have had Royal Assent for the Renters’ Rights Bill, which was one of the key planks for the new

Found: On 7 July, the Department for Business and Trade tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill,

Found: On 7 July, the Department for Business and Trade tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill,

Found: What impact will the provisions of upcoming legislation, including the Renters’ Rights Bill and the

Found: On 7 July, the Department for Business and Trade tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill,

Found: To take a more recent example, it might judge that the Government’s Employment Rights Bill could harm

Found: Commission Report; and delivered legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: the House of Lords to encourage the government to introduce its own amendment to the Employment Rights Bill

Found: facilitated a sector-wide discussion on good practice ahead of legislative changes under the Employment Rights Bill

Found: identitiesand other pressures being borne to bear by the forthcoming legislation of the Employment Rights Bill

Found: changes to how employers need to respond to flexible working requests included in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill is towards the right direction, which also considers the employer perspective

Found: is recommended that this service is kept up to date with changes arising from the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Renters’ Rights Bill will create a whole suite of new rights for tenants, which is to be welcomed

Found: Recommendation 2: The Government should deliver on its proposal in the Employment Rights Bill to extend

Found: It should also be noted that the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, due imminently, will undoubtedly

Found: It should also be noted that the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, due imminently, will undoubtedly

Found: weeks (National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) (2025) Courts unprepared for Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: In the new Employment Rights Bill, the Government seeks to expand people’s workplace rights, including

Found: Recommendation 2: The Government should deliver on its proposal in the Employment Rights Bill to extend

Found: The Renters’ Rights Bill will create a whole suite of new rights for tenants, which is to be welcomed

Found: It should also be noted that the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, due imminently, will undoubtedly

Found: weeks (National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) (2025) Courts unprepared for Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: In the new Employment Rights Bill, the Government seeks to expand people’s workplace rights, including

Found: we have done a lot of work with MHCLG, particularly on the future legislation on the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Brits avoid asking about baby loss, poll finds | Tommy'sgovernments amendment to the employment rights bill

Found: “I would actually be quite surprised and shocked by when the renters rights bill was started going through

Found: Government must take action to embrace flexible working fully following its inclusion in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill and Keep Britain Working Review both have an important role to play in addressing

Found: exercise, given the considerable new regulatory requirements facing employers through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: What impact will the provisions of upcoming legislation, including the Renters’ Rights Bill and the

Found: What impact will the provisions of upcoming legislation, including the Renters’ Rights Bill and the

Found: 24 6 ONS Price Index for Private Rents 7 https://www.generationrent.org/2024/10/09/the-renters-rights-bill-second-reading

Found: What impact will the provisions of upcoming legislation, including the Renters’ Rights Bill and the

Found: What impact will the provisions of upcoming legislation, including the Renters’ Rights Bill and the

Found: What impact will the provisions of upcoming legislation, including the Renters’ Rights Bill and the

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help protect female whistle-blowers in male-dominated industries.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is taking a range of actions to strengthen whistleblowing protections for workers, including female workers.

Through the Employment Rights Bill, we are amending the Employment Rights Act 1996 to clarify that workers are protected from detriment or dismissal by their employer if they ‘blow the whistle’ on sexual harassment, as long as the conditions in the legislation are met. This is an important reform that may encourage more workers to speak up about sexual harassment.

In addition, the Government will introduce legislation in this Parliament to disbar senior NHS leaders who have been dishonest or covered up unsafe practice from working in leadership roles in the NHS again.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage bereavement leave uptake among (a) shift workers and (b) carers.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new right to Bereavement Leave for those grieving the loss of a loved one or a pregnancy.

A consultation was launched on 23^rd October, and was widely shared. We will invite a range of groups, including business, charities, trade unions and others who represent caregivers and shift workers to roundtables to discuss the questions raised by the consultation and how the entitlement can best be constructed to meet the needs of those they represent.

This approach will ensure the entitlement is constructed with the needs of employees and employers at the forefront.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to expand protections for British seafarers employed by companies registered outside of the UK.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is acting through the Employment Rights Bill to improve protections for seafarers by providing powers to protect the working conditions of those working aboard international services frequently calling at UK ports. The Bill will also close a loophole that prevented prosecution of employers who failed to provide notification of proposed collective redundancies aboard ships registered outside of the UK. These protections will benefit seafarers working aboard services in scope, including when they are employed by companies registered outside of the UK.

My Department will also continue to work internationally to improve protections for seafarers, including through implementing the amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention agreed in April by representatives of shipowners, seafarers and governments at the International Labour Organization in Geneva. The new provisions include measures that will help to protect seafarers against violence and harassment, strengthen their rights to repatriation and improve access to shore leave. It is expected that these amendments will come into force internationally on 23 December 2027.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Sherlock on 13 October (HL Deb col 12), whether there is academic research to evidence that the Employment Rights Bill will be a driver of productivity; and, if so, what the research shows.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On Monday 21 October 2024, the Government published the Employment Rights Bill: economic analysis and summary impact assessment. The analysis shows that the Employment Rights Bill could have a small but direct and positive, impact on economic growth. It cites academic evidence linking stronger employment protections to improved productivity and highlights that better job security, wellbeing, and reduced undercutting of good employers may lead to a more productive workforce.

This assessment is grounded in the best available evidence developed in consultation with experts, including academics.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to protect renters' rights in Slough constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill received Royal Assent on Monday 27 October.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill on the number of empty homes, in the context of the ban on re-renting homes after a home has been vacated for sale.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has made no such assessment.

Landlords making use of new mandatory possession ground 1A (sale of dwelling-house) will be expected to sell their property with vacant possession as intended.

To prevent abuse of this ground, landlords will not be able to market or re-let their property for twelve months after using the selling ground. This will remove the financial incentive to landlords from misusing the grounds and evicting a tenant with the intention to re-let at a higher rent.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps to help protect tenants from (a) eviction and (b) rent increases following government-funded low-carbon improvement works carried out by landlords.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

This government is committed to protecting and improving the rights of tenants through improving the quality of their homes, resulting in reduced energy costs.

We have engaged and consulted with landlord and tenant representative groups in developing policy. We set out proposals in the consultation on maximum spend from landlords and the exemptions regime. These changes do not require landlords to increase rents.

The new Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce protections for tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases and stop landlords using large rent increases to force tenants out. Landlords will be able to increase rents to market rates once per year, with tenants able to challenge this at the Tribunal if it is unreasonable.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve the enforcement regime for payment of awards made in the employment tribunal.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to ensure that (a) kinship and (b) foster carers have the same employment leave rights as (i) adoptive, (ii) maternity and (iii) paternity carers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government has committed to conducting a review of the whole parental leave system. This review was launched on 1 July and represents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay.

The department will also consider whether the support available meets the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.

Foster carers who combine fostering with paid employment have a range of existing workplace rights and legal entitlements to help manage their dual responsibilities, including the right to request flexible working from day one, introduced through the Employment Rights Bill, and adoption leave where applicable. The department also supports The Fostering Network’s ‘Fostering Friendly Employers’ campaign.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department (a) collects and (b) publishes data on the outcomes of employment tribunal enforcement actions taken under (i) the employment tribunal penalty enforcement scheme, (ii) employment tribunal fast track enforcement and (iii) county court judgments.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many employment tribunal awards have been made each year since 2016; and what proportion of those have been (a) paid in (i) full and (ii) part and (b) remain unpaid.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has considered bringing forward legislative proposals to make company directors personally liable for unpaid employment tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has considered introducing restrictions on directors who repeatedly preside over companies that fail to comply with tribunal judgments.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to give the Fair Work Agency powers to pursue company directors where a company has failed to pay a tribunal award.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to include IVF in the (a) Employment Rights Act 2010 and (b) Employment Rights Act 1996.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government is committed to improving the wellbeing and work-life balance of all workers, including those navigating the difficult journey of fertility treatment. We are introducing measures through the employment rights bill to make flexible working available to more people, more easily. This change could help employees and employers agree arrangements that support attendance at medical appointments, including those for IVF.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade if his Department will publish (a) the number of requests it has received from claimants for respondents to (i) fined and (ii) named under the Employment Tribunal penalty enforcement and naming scheme and (b) the number of respondents who have been (A) fined and (B) named in each year since 2016.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a compensation fund for workers unable to recover tribunal awards due to employer insolvency.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that workers receive tribunal awards in cases where the respondent company has entered (a) administration and (b) liquidation.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the establishment of phoenix companies on the number of unpaid employment tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many claimants who have used the employment tribunal penalty enforcement scheme since 2016 have received (a) full and (b) partial payment of their awards; and what the total value of (i) awards recovered for claimants and (ii) awards referred to the scheme is.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the employment tribunal penalty enforcement scheme in ensuring payment of awards since 2016.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that workers are informed about the enforcement options available to recover unpaid tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how his Department expects the Fair Work Agency to coordinate with (a) HMRC, (b) the Insolvency Service and (c) other existing enforcement bodies to ensure workers receive unpaid awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the proposed budget for the Fair Work Agency for tackling non-payment of tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to improve its monitoring of tribunal award payments to ensure employer compliance.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 October (HL10746), how and why they reached the conclusion that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 "does not support a positive and productive relationship between employers, employees, and their trade unions", and what discussions they have had with trade unions about that Act.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The implementation of Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation by the last Government only worsened industrial relations. This was particularly evident in rail, where it exacerbated the national disputes, which had seen two years of widespread strikes and disruption to millions of passengers.

MSLs legislation is being repealed under the Employment Rights Bill (ERB). The Government has consulted numerous stakeholders about the ERB, including trade unions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of expanding Statutory Sick Pay on recruitment agencies; and if he will consider taking steps to (a) enable agencies to recover SSP costs from hirers where workers fall ill during assignments, (b) clarify how Day 1 entitlement applies to agency workers and (c) strengthen HMRC’s role in preventing multiple SSP claims across different agencies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment Here on the impact of the SSP measures in the Employment Rights Bill.

Whilst this is not a specific assessment on the impact on recruitment agencies, the Government believes that the SSP measures strike the right balance between providing financial security to employees and limiting additional costs to employers, including agencies. The Bill ensures that people who work through employment agencies and employment businesses have comparable rights and protections to their counterparts who are directly employed.

a) We do not intend to make changes to allow agencies to recover SSP costs from end hirers during gaps in assignment. The government believes that employers, including those in the recruitment sector, are best placed to manage sickness absences and ensuring employees receive appropriate support. The removal of the waiting period means all eligible employees will be entitled to SSP from Day 1 of their sickness absence. This includes eligible agency workers. This enables employees to take the time off work they need to recover when sick.

b) Strengthening HMRC’s role in preventing multiple SSP claims from one employee would require mandatory reporting from businesses. This would be administratively burdensome, particularly for SMEs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of workplace (a) guidance and (b) protections for employees experiencing menopausal symptoms; and if her Department will issue new guidance to (i) small and medium-sized enterprises and (ii) other employers on reasonable adjustments.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is important that those who experience substantial and longer-term menopausal effects should be adequately protected from discrimination in the workplace, and that employers are fully aware of the issues their employees may be experiencing at work, and their current legal obligations, including under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act).

Depending on circumstances, the Act provides protection from discrimination on grounds of sex and/or age and/or disability for employees experiencing the effects of the menopause. An employee may bring a discrimination claim under more than one of these grounds, which the courts can then consider sequentially, where appropriate.

As part of the plan to Make Work Pay, the government has committed to publishing guidance, including for small employers, on measures to consider relating to uniform and temperature, flexible working and recording menopause-related leave and absence. Guidance can currently be found on the government’s Help to Grow Site: Menopause in the Workplace - Help to Grow. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the content is relevant and to raise awareness and promote best practice amongst businesses.

As part of the Employment Rights Bill, this government is taking the first steps towards requiring large employers to publish action plans alongside their gender pay gap figures; detailing the steps they are taking to narrow their gap and support employees during the menopause. These will ensure that they recognise and tackle the barriers that women still face, as well as opening up space to have broader conversations about women’s health in the workplace. Organisations will be required to detail the evidence-based steps they are taking, supported by government guidance, with the aim of speeding up progress towards workplaces that actually work for everyone.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the cost of the new energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector are not passed on to tenants through higher rents.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector will ensure that tenants have homes that are warmer and less susceptible to damp and mould, while also lowering their energy bills and lifting homes out of fuel poverty. These changes do not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help cut energy bills for tenants by delivering more energy efficient homes.

The new Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce protections for tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases and stop landlords using large rent increases to force tenants out. Landlords will be able to increase rents to market rates once per year, with tenants able to challenge this at the Tribunal if it is unreasonable.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle anti-social behaviour in large housing developments.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

We understand that ASB causes great harm and misery to our communities, and, if left unchecked, can lead to more serious offending.

When tenants commit anti-social behaviour (ASB) it can cause misery for housemates, neighbours, and the wider community. While we are clear that it’s better to resolve issues without eviction, regaining possession is sometimes necessary, and landlords should have the tools they need to keep people safe.

That is why the Renters’ Rights Bill will shorten the notice period for the existing mandatory eviction ground, with landlords being able to make a claim to the court immediately in all cases of anti-social behaviour.

The Bill also amends the matters that judges must consider when deciding whether to award possession under the discretionary ground. This will ensure judges give particular regard to whether tenants have engaged with efforts to resolve their behaviour and the impact on other tenants within HMOs.

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 gives social landlords, the police and local authorities have a range of powers and tools to tackle housing related ASB, including a Civil Injunction under Section 1 of that Act, and local agencies are expected to use those powers promptly and proportionately, putting the needs of victims at the heart of their response.

We will crack down on those making neighbourhoods feel unsafe and unwelcoming by introducing the new Respect Order, which local authorities will be able to apply for and which will carry tough sanctions and penalties for persistent adult offenders.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made on improving parental rights for workers in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We are strengthening rights for parents through the Employment Rights Bill, including making Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights for qualifying employees, removing restrictions on taking Paternity Leave after Shared Parental Leave, strengthening flexible working rights, and bolstering protections for new and expectant mothers. We also launched the Parental Leave Review on 1 July which will consider how parental leave can better reflect modern work and childcare realities and support working families.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Civil Service staff networks to only meet outside working hours and have all events signed off by senior managers, published on 23 September 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that policy on the provisions on trade union equality representatives in the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Civil Service staff networks are separate to trade union activities and duties carried out by trade union representatives in the Civil Service. As such the Civil Service Staff Network Policy does not apply to its trade union representatives.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department of providing additional resource for local authorities to enforce 12 month relet bans on landlords who do not adhere to incoming legislation within the Renters Rights Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In accordance with the New Burdens Doctrine, we will ensure additional net costs on local authorities created by the Renters’ Rights Bill are fully funded.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce new burdens funding for local authorities associated with the passage of the Renters Rights Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department will set out the funding we intend to make available to local authorities to meet new burdens arising from the Renters’ Rights Bill in due course.

Found: Rights for the United Kingdom (P DF), 24 June 2025 13 Home Office, Rights brought home: the Human Rights Bill

Found: announced that it was repealing the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) was introduced in October 2024 and that also marked the start of planning

Found: This includes legislation to: enhance workplace rights, through the Employment Rights Bill; provide

Found: The Employment Rights Bill will strengthen the existing day-one right to request flexible working, by

Found: The first phase of delivering this Plan is through the Employment Rights Bill .

Found: Renters’ Rights Bill receives Royal Assent today, securing a fairer future for 11 million private

Found: This will be made law through the Renters’ Rights Bill which completed its passage through Parliament

Found: Government is delivering legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: That’s why, within our first 100 days, we introduced the Employment Rights Bill.

Found: The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new framework for trade unions to access workplaces physically

Found: That’s why, within our first 100 days, we delivered on our promise to introduce the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new duty on employers to give a written statement to their

Found: Starting with the Employment Rights Bill, we are fulfilling our commitment to strengthen protections

Found: The Employment Rights Bill introduces a new statutory right to Bereavement Leave, establishing clear

Found: The Employment Rights Bill introduced a new day-one right to unpaid bereavement leave for employees who

Found: Social landlords will need to consider relevant provisions of the Renters’ Rights Bill as it makes its

Found: To align with new statutory legislation following the publication of the Employment Rights Bill in October

Found: To align with new statutory legislation following the publication of the Employment Rights Bill in October

Found: This includes legislation to: enhance workplace rights, through the Employment Rights Bill; provide

Found: The Council is also preparing for the potential impacts of the Renters Rights Bill, expected early

Found: Government is delivering legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: General Fair Work resources Employment Rights Bill: factsheets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Description:

Found: to meet with the RRG, and presented to members on the overview of, and reasoning for, the Human Rights Bill

Found: Members sought an update on the activity of the Human Rights Bill Team.

Found: Salt Discussion Microsoft Teams 15/05/2025 Internal Meeting Meeting: DFM / Ms Stewart - Human Rights Bill

Found: A UK-wide approach would be beneficial and there might be opportunities through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Government officials are continuing to work on the proposed Human Rights Bill the aims of which would

Found: They highlighted the recent publication of the Human Rights Bill for Scotland Discussion Paper  and provided

Found: It was also noted that the Scottish Government’s consultation on a Human Rights Bill proposes additional

Found: In addition, we continue to work with the UK Government as its Employment Rights Bill progresses, which

Found: The Scottish Government is supportive of the overall ambitions of the UK Government Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Scottish Government is supportive of the overall ambitions of the UK Government Employment Rights Bill

Found: incorporated into Scots Law, so far as possible within devolved competence, as part of the new Human Rights Bill

Found: • As SG have delayed the Human Rights bill and Stigma Action Plan, I’m not sure this would be seen

Found: The Scottish Government should ensure, as part of the Human Rights Bill and/or National Collaborative

Found: Report 2024-25 – Appendix A 3 8 The Scottish Government should ensure, as part of the Human Rights Bill

Found: The Scottish Government has made a clear commitment to bring forward the Human Rights Bill in the next

Found: However, we welcome the UKG Employment Rights Bill (ERB), as part of its wider Make Work Pay programme

Found: Correspondence regarding the Human Rights Bill not being in the Programme for Government 2024/25: FOI

Found: Correspondence regarding the Human Rights Bill not being in the Programme for Government 2024/25: FOI

Found: Protecting the Powers of the Scottish Parliament Followed by Legislative Consent Motion: Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Summary – A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Discussion Paper

Found: Summary – A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Discussion Paper

Found: (in line with eligibility considerations currently taking place with regards to the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The minister spoke about the upcoming Employment Rights Bill and its progress.

Found: convention into Scots law within the limits of devolved competence by bringing forward a Human Rights Bill

Found: • As SG have delayed the Human Rights bill and Stigma Action Plan, I’m not sure this would be seen

Found: • As SG have delayed the Human Rights bill and Stigma Action Plan, I’m not sure this would be seen

Found: • Implementation of Sectoral bargaining as laid out in Scotland (not as per the Employee rights Bill

Found: Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 • Equality Impact Assessment • Human Rights Bill

Found: Human Rights 14/05/2025 Meeting/Video Conference Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Human Rights Bill

Found: which includes plans to publish a Bill Policy Product consolidating current proposals on the Human Rights Bill

Found: Human Rights Bill for Scotland documents that relate to the right for food: FOI release

Found: Human Rights Bill for Scotland documents that relate to the right for food: FOI release

Found: Human Rights Bill for Scotland documents that relate to the right for food: FOI release

Found: Human Rights Bill for Scotland documents that relate to the right for food: FOI release

Found: collaboratively with the UK Government on its Make Work Pay agenda, including the Employment Rights Bill

Found: ◼ The right to a healthy environment has been included in the development of a Scottish Human Rights Bill

Found: .39 The right to a healthy environment has been included in the development of a Scottish Human Rights Bill

Found: vision, some respondents emphasised their support for the Scottish Government’s planned Human Rights Bill

Found: A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Discussion Paper

Found: A report about the Scottish Government's plans for the Human Rights Bill: Easy Read version

Found: A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Discussion Paper

Found: A report about the Scottish Government's plans for the Human Rights Bill: Easy Read version

Found: Outcome 5 Outcome 6 Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership - A fresh start A Human Rights Bill

Found: It was outlined that by March 2026, we aim to have further developed the proposed Human Rights Bill with

Found: proposals to strengthen the role of the Scottish Human Rights Commission through a future Human Rights Bill

Found: Planned engagement on Scotland’s future Human Rights Bill will ensure that intersectional experiences

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on women working in the Scottish public sector whose employers will not be covered by the UK Government’s commitment to introduce mandatory gender pay gap action plans, in light of reported concerns that they may be left behind if equivalent measures are not introduced.

Answered by Stewart, Kaukab - Minister for Equalities

While inter-governmental discussions are ongoing, and while we are developing PSED-related improvement proposals, we have not yet made an assessment of the likely impact on women of the UK Government’s commitment but we are making stringent efforts to resolve this matter and to consider how action planning could be used in a Scottish context.

As Minister for Equalities, I am still awaiting a confirmed meeting date with UK Government Ministers, following an offer via correspondence in May 2025, to discuss the Scottish Government’s concerns around provisions in the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill and to seek a resolution in line with current timelines for the Bill’s passage. These concerns relate to powers to mandate for equality action plans and the naming of outsourcing providers for public bodies in Scotland. Currently these provisions will only come into force for public bodies in England, and so Scottish Ministers continue to seek assurances around receiving the equivalent powers to regulate as those proposed for UK Government Ministers.

Using the powers that we do have and as part of the Scottish Government’s phased approach to improving the effectiveness of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in Scotland, we continue to review the operation of the Scottish Specific Duties to support Scottish listed authorities to enable better performance of the general duty.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support any social care workers on low pay, in light of reported evidence stating that there is a link between the level of pay for people working in social care and child poverty.

Answered by Arthur, Tom - Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing

The Scottish Government has a long-standing commitment to support social care workers rates of pay. For the 2025-26 financial year, the Scottish Government are investing £125 million to enable adult social care workers, delivering direct care in the third and private sectors, to be paid at least the Real Living Wage. This takes the estimated total investment to deliver this policy up to £950 million this financial year.

This policy is to enable the Real Living Wage to be paid to these workers as a minimum, and employers and commissioners have the locus to set rates in excess of this where local circumstances allow.

In addition, the Scottish Government is committed to establish voluntary sectoral bargaining arrangements for the commissioned adult social care sector in Scotland and we have been working with stakeholder partners, through the Fair Work in Social Care Group, to progress this. We have also been engaging with the UK Government on their Employment Rights Bill, which we hope will extend the scope for the option of a regulatory Social Care Negotiating Body, and associated Fair Pay Agreements, to Scotland.

Once developed and introduced, sectoral bargaining arrangements will encourage improvements in pay, and terms and conditions for the social care workforce.

We know that there are a number of factors which can compound the relationship between work and poverty, including in sectors such as social care. That is why we are taking action to tackle child poverty and make a real difference to families. On average, households with children in the poorest 10% of households are estimated to be £2,600 a year better off in 2025-26 as a result of Scottish Government policies like the Scottish Child Payment. This value is projected to grow to an average of £3,700 a year by 2029-30.

We are also taking decisive action to end the impact of the two-child limit in Scotland. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, the new Two Child Limit Payment will open for applications on 2 March 2026, with payments beginning as soon as possible thereafter. Worth up to more than £3,500 a year for each eligible child, these payments will make a significant difference to larger families who are currently denied support, and Scottish Government modelling published in March estimates this will result in 20,000 fewer children living in relative poverty in 2026-27.

While the Joseph Rowntree Foundation predict child poverty will rise in other parts of the UK by 2029, they highlight that policies such as our Scottish Child Payment, and our commitment to mitigate the two-child limit, are behind Scotland bucking the trend.

Found: Commitment to the UK’s first Men’s Health Strategy _________________________31 Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill

Found: 2025 Bill title Date memorandum lodged Consent recommendation by Scottish Government Employment Rights Bill

Found: Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill Consent recommended 31 October 2024 Consent granted Renters' Rights Bill

Found: with the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill (now the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill) and Human Rights Bill

Found: and Social Care Committee Report on Legislative Consent Memorandum No. 3 for the Employment Rights Bill

Found: WG response to HSC report on Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Empoyment Rights Bill - Response to the

Found: We note that the UK Employment Rights Bill includes provisions to allow for the establishment of a Social

Found: Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 3) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 3) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 4) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: 1 SUPPLEMENTARY LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM (MEMORANDUM NO 4) EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL 1.

Found: consider and report on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (No.4) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: example, our reports on: The Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memoranda on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Positively, as part of the UK Government Employment Rights Bill, provisions were included to develop

Question

What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the cost of a 1 per cent average increase in the pay of the employed social care workforce?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Welsh Government reviews social care workers' pay each year, as part of our commitment to paying the Real Living Wage (RLW), recognising their important role supporting vulnerable people in Wales.

The RLW has increased by far more than 1% annually in recent years. This policy was developed in 2022, with funding provided through the local authority settlement to address the difference between the National Living Wage (NLW) and the RLW. Consequently, a cost assessment of a 1% increase has not been required. For example, in 2025–26, the RLW increased by 5% and this change was reflected in the settlement allocation.

Improving pay for our social care workforce is a priority for government, and whilst work is now underway to implement Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) in Wales through the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill, these agreements are not expected to come into force until 2028. In the interim period, particularly over the next two years, we are committed to ensuring that the RLW policy is effective and delivering its intended benefits for the workforce.

The Social Care Fair Work Forum is also conducting work on a Pay and Progression Framework for the social care sector.

Question

When will the Welsh Government respond in writing to the Local Government and Housing Committee’s reports on the LCM and SLCM for the Renters’ Rights Bill?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

The Local Government and Housing Committee did not request responses to the two reports. The content of both reports was however considered as part of the overall legislative consent process.

The recommendation relating to pets has been addressed in our proposed approach to people renting with pets outlined in the Summary of Responses to the White Paper on securing a path towards Adequate Housing, including Fair Rents and Affordability.

Question

What is the Cabinet Secretary's latest assessment of the possible impact of the UK Government's Renters' Rights Bill on governance and individual rights in Wales?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

The few provisions in the Bill which directly affect Wales remain those to which the Senedd agreed to give legislative consent on 20 May 2025.

The anti-discrimination provisions will greatly enhance the rights of all tenants in receipt of benefits and those with children.