Gareth Bacon

The department outsources direct support to businesses through our Business Support Helpline and through our Export Support Service in specific international markets, alongside mediation services related to responsible business behaviour. The department also funds outsourced legal advice and support to those postmasters affected by the Post Office IT issues.

All DBT employees have an existing set of Terms and Conditions which confirm their expected hours of work. Given the nature of private office roles, employees may need to work additional or irregular hours, which is taken into account when determining their remuneration. The private offices operate as a team which ensures responsibility for being available to support Ministers outside of regular working hours is shared, work/life balance is monitored, and all employees can switch off regularly.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is sufficient facilities time for all trade union representatives, in both the public and private sector, so that they have capacity to represent and defend workers, negotiate with employers and conduct training.

The Government is committed to bringing in a new era of partnership that sees employers, unions and Government work together in co-operation and through negotiation – putting an end to the worst strikes chaos seen in decades under the previous administration. The Employment Rights Bill will be introduced in the first 100 days in Government and will play a key role in delivering aspects of the Plan to Make Work Pay. This will include legislation on sectoral collective bargaining, with Adult Social Care being the first sector for this to be introduced

The Government is committed to introducing statutory rights for trade union equality representatives to strengthen equality at work for all. Further information including impact assessments will be published in due course.

The government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create opportunities for learners of all ages, give employers of different sizes greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforces and drive economic growth.

The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course. This will include further information on the role of Skills England in ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of levy paying and non-levy paying businesses.

The government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create opportunities for learners of all ages, give employers of different sizes greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforces and drive economic growth.

The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course. This will include further information on the role of Skills England in ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of levy paying and non-levy paying businesses.

The government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create opportunities for learners of all ages, give employers of different sizes greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforces and drive economic growth.

The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course. This will include further information on the role of Skills England in ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of levy paying and non-levy paying businesses.

The government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create opportunities for learners of all ages, give employers of different sizes greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforces and drive economic growth.

The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course. This will include further information on the role of Skills England in ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of levy paying and non-levy paying businesses.

The government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create opportunities for learners of all ages, give employers of different sizes greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforces and drive economic growth.

The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course. This will include further information on the role of Skills England in ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of levy paying and non-levy paying businesses.