Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of the UK's departure from the EU on the participation of UK workers in European Works Councils.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
At the end of the EU exit implementation period, the Government amended the Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 1999, so that no new requests to set up a European Works Council (EWC) can be made but retained the regulatory framework for existing EWCs in the UK to continue to operate. No formal assessment of the impacts of EU exit on participation in EWCs has been made.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the approximate value of Foreign Direct Investment in the UK in (1) the six years preceding the EU referendum in 2016, and (2) the six years since.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question: HL4423 is attached.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the furlough scheme on (1) relationships between employers and employees, and (2) the number of older people leaving the workforce; and in any such assessment, what links they have found between these factors.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme protected millions of UK jobs at a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty.
His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) jointly published an interim evaluation in September 2022, looking at the scheme between March and October 2020. A final evaluation, covering the full duration of the scheme and a Value for Money assessment, will be published in 2023.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to ratify the International Civil Aviation Organisation Montreal Protocol 2014 on disruptive passengers.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
During this legislative cycle, the Government does not currently intend to complete the ratification of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Montreal Protocol 2014 on disruptive passengers. The majority of the provisions within this protocol are already part of UK law, and I am confident we can take necessary action in regard to disruptive passengers. For example, the UK already has state of landing and state of operator jurisdiction, which means that disruptive passengers on any flight that touches down within the UK can be charged and, if necessary, prosecuted.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they take (1) human, and (2) trade union rights violations into account when making aid available to Somalia.
Answered by Lord Bates
In determining UK aid funding to governments DFID assesses their commitment to each of four Partnership Principles. One of the Principles is commitment to human rights. Evidence of lack of commitment to the Principles would influence choices on the level and the manner of aid provision, for example by providing aid through civil society organisations rather than through government bodies. DFID Somalia works through a range of implementing partners in Somalia and has put robust safeguards in place to ensure all our programmes meet the highest standards of conduct and risk management. Although trade union rights are not explicitly listed in our Partnership Principles, egregious violations of workers’ rights would fall under our wider provision for human rights.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to involve the TUC and trade unions in the Article 50 negotiations.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
This government has made a clear commitment to protect workers’ rights, and ensure that they keep pace with the changing labour market as we leave the EU. Furthermore, we do not need to be part of the EU to have strong protections for workers' rights - the UK already goes beyond EU minimum standards in a number of areas.
Both DExEU Ministers and senior officials have met a wide range of interested organisations to hear concerns and gather insight. So far, the Secretary of State, the Permanent Secretary, and DExEU officials have met the TUC, and the Secretary of State has met UNISON. This engagement will continue as we move into the negotiation phase of our exit from the EU and will help to inform our negotiating positions.
Details of Ministerial meetings, and those of senior officials, will be published in the Department’s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which will be made publicly available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the interests of UK workers are taken into account during Article 50 negotiations.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
This government has made a clear commitment to protect workers’ rights, and ensure that they keep pace with the changing labour market as we leave the EU. Furthermore, we do not need to be part of the EU to have strong protections for workers' rights - the UK already goes beyond EU minimum standards in a number of areas.
Both DExEU Ministers and senior officials have met a wide range of interested organisations to hear concerns and gather insight. So far, the Secretary of State, the Permanent Secretary, and DExEU officials have met the TUC, and the Secretary of State has met UNISON. This engagement will continue as we move into the negotiation phase of our exit from the EU and will help to inform our negotiating positions.
Details of Ministerial meetings, and those of senior officials, will be published in the Department’s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which will be made publicly available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to transpose into UK legislation, both pre- and post-Brexit, all European employment rights.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government remains committed to protecting and enhancing workers’ rights following the UK’s exit from the EU. All employment rights which currently apply in the UK, including those derived from EU law, will continue to be guaranteed after exit. The Great Repeal Bill will provide the mechanism for this.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the 1984 agreement on trade union political funding between Lord King of Bridgwater and Lord Murray of Epping Forest, then General Secretary of the TUC.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
I have placed in the House Library a copy of the exchange of correspondence from February 1984 between the Secretary of State for Employment and the General Secretary of the TUC.