Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will list his Department's trade envoys.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
We are carefully considering the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy programme in the context of the new Government’s trade objectives. We will update the house in due course on the programme’s future.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1206 on Political Levy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on trade union members that have not previously opted-in to a political levy but that have also not actively opted-out.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Employment Rights Bill substantively restores the position on political fund contributions to before the passage of the Trade Union Act 2016. This will mean trade union members will automatically be opted-in to contribute to a political fund, unless they expressly opt-out. We are proposing existing trade union members who did not opt-in to the political fund post 2016 would remain opted-out, and therefore we do next expect there to be any impact on these members.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1206 on Political Levy, whether trade unions will be required to inform members of the right to opt-out (a) on membership forms and (b) in yearly membership renewals.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Employment Rights Bill restores the position on political funds to before the passage of the Trade Union Act 2016. This will mean that where a trade union has a political fund, any membership form must inform members of their right to opt out of contributing to a fund. There will be no requirement on trade unions to notify members annually of their right to opt out of contributing to a political fund.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department issues guidance on investment from (a) the People's Republic of China and (b) organisations associated with the Chinese Communist Party.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government does not direct the private sector’s commercial partnerships. Ministers and Officials are in regular contact with leaders across all UK industries and may provide advice and support as appropriate.
The UK will attract investment due to its stable business environment and resilient national security framework that safeguards investments as well as the nation’s security. Under the NSI Act, the government has the authority to scrutinise and intervene in business transactions involving foreign investment in sensitive sectors to protect national security, regardless of the origin of the investment.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many people, other than special advisers, have been appointed to civil service posts in his Department without open competition since 4 July 2024; what their (a) job titles and (b) salary bands are; and on what basis each was appointed.
Answered by Justin Madders
There are 10 exceptions to fair and open recruitment, details of which can be found within the Civil Service Commission’s published Recruitment Principles. DBT has appointed 6 individuals under these Exceptions since 4th July 2024 with 4 of these being previous Civil Servants who were reappointed.
Role titles could lead to individuals being identified therefore we are not able to provide this information.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Answer of 12 August 2024, to Question HL421, on Employment, what legislative steps he plans to take to introduce statutory rights for trade union equality representatives.
Answered by Justin Madders
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.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 902 on Public sector: trade unions, whether it is the Government's policy to (a) amend and (b) repeal the check-off provisions from the (i) Trade Union Act 2016 and (ii) The Trade Union (Deduction of Union Subscriptions from Wages in the Public Sector) Regulations 2024.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Government is committed to repealing the Trade Union Act 2016. Further information on implementing this will be outlined in due course.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
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 impact of ending the Trade Union Act 2016 requirement for industrial action ballot thresholds on trends in the level of industrial action.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Government is committed to repealing the Trade Union Act 2016. Further information on implementing this will be outlined in due course.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether organisations in the United Kingdom are subject to assimilated EU law restrictions mandating kernel level software access.
Answered by Justin Madders
Under Article 95(2) of the Withdrawal Agreement the European Commission continues to be responsible for monitoring and enforcing commitments given, or remedies imposed in, or in relation to, the United Kingdom in connection with competition concerns, unless that responsibility is transferred to the CMA.
Commitments given in relation to kernel level software access have not been transferred to the CMA and consequently, UK organisations remain bound by any commitments they have made to the European Commission, who have the power to monitor and enforce these. These commitments are not classified as assimilated EU law.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 20 of the King’s Speech Background Briefing Notes, published by the Prime Minister's Office on 17 July 2024, whether the trade unions' new rights will apply to unions representing Downing Street (a) staff and (b) outsourced contractors.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Government believes strong collective bargaining rights and institutions are key to tackling problems of insecurity, inequality, discrimination, enforcement and low pay. We are committed to strengthening the rights of working people by empowering workers to organise collectively through trade unions.
We will do this by updating trade union legislation, so it is fit for a modern economy, removing unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity and ensuring industrial relations are based around good faith negotiation and bargaining. This legislation will apply to all trade unions.