Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to amend the code of practice on picketing, updated on 11 March 2024.
Answered by Justin Madders
Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government intends to amend the Code of Practice on Picketing to reflect legislative changes made by the Bill.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) public and (b) private sector employees can suspend (i) check off and (ii) facility time for trade unions during industrial action.
Answered by Justin Madders
It is for individual employers and trade unions to agree on appropriate approaches during industrial action. The government encourages employers to work constructively with workers and representatives to resolve disputes.
Public and private sector employers may be able to suspend check-off and facility time while employees take industrial action, depending on the legal status of those arrangements – particularly whether they are contractually guaranteed.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to make changes to the permitted size of a serving of beer or cider.
Answered by Justin Madders
This Government has no plans to change the permitted size of a serving of beer of cider.
Draught beer or cider can be served in a 1/3 pint, 1/2 pint, full pint, or multiples of those sizes as defined in the specified quantities set out in the Weights and Measurers legislation.
We have stated our commitment to preserving the pint, and the amendment to the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill put forward by Lord Fox, and supported by the Government, ensures any future government could not use the powers in the Bill to change the uses or size of the pint.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2015 on (a) the likelihood of future industrial action in local authorities relating to the collection of household rubbish and (b) intimidation on municipal picket lines.
Answered by Justin Madders
The government published an impact assessment on the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 in October 2024. The Act places unnecessary red tape on trade union activity that works against their core role of negotiation and dispute resolution. As such, the government is substantively repealing it.
The repeal of the 2016 Act will not impact legislation that provides for picketing to lawfully take place. This picketing must be peaceful and those on picket lines must not intimidate workers who attend work. The Code of Practice on Picketing will also continue to remain in effect.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question 44224 on Employment Rights Bill: Local Government Services, if he will consult each (a) local authority and (b)town and parish council.
Answered by Justin Madders
We will continue to undertake comprehensive engagement and consultation on the implementation of the Plan to Make Work Pay and the Employment Rights Bill, and we will be engaging closely with employers, including local authorities as the policy develops. We will consult extensively on the implementation of the legislation, to ensure it works for workers and employers alike.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Certification Officer's corporate reports entitled Unite the Union: annual returns (PDF format), for what reason Unite have provided partial annual returns between 2021 and 2023.
Answered by Justin Madders
Responsibility for trade union annual returns lies with the Certification Officer. They have been in communication with Unite the Union regarding its annual returns for 2021 to 2023. The Certification Officer is currently satisfied that the delay in providing full returns is due to issues identified during the auditing process.
The Certification Officer continues to engage with Unite the Union to ensure that full annual returns are submitted as soon as possible, after which they will be published in full on their website.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the trade union recognition provisions in the Employment Rights Bill will apply to town and parish councils.
Answered by Justin Madders
Guidance on the trade union recognition scheme is at Gov.uk. This sets out that the scheme is available to unions where the workplace has 21 or more workers. Therefore the smallest workplaces that have 20 or less workers not in scope of the scheme. There are no specific exemptions for town and parish councils.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41450 on Electoral Commission: Companies House, whether data has been shared between Companies House and the Electoral Commission; and how data sharing requests can be made by the Electoral Commission.
Answered by Justin Madders
Companies House has not shared data with the Electoral Commission using powers conferred on it under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA).
Companies House makes a range of company information available through its online public register, including details about the company itself, its directors, and People with Significant Control (PSCs). This data is accessible free of charge via their online services.
Companies House also works with law enforcement agencies and other public authorities to share information not available on the public register using the powers introduced by the ECCTA. This activity takes place via a dedicated team.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 the trade union recognition provisions in the Employment Rights Bill on SMEs.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Government has published a final stage impact assessment on strengthening workers’ rights to access, recognition and representation (see paragraphs 61 to 66 in relation to trade union recognition in particular). This is available at: Impact assessment: Strengthening workers’ rights to trade union access, recognition and representation.
The statutory trade union recognition scheme is available to unions where the workplace has 21 or more workers. Therefore the smallest workplaces that have 20 or less workers are not in scope of the scheme.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help tackle intimidatory practices by trade unions when on strike.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Government is clear that there is no place for intimidation in any workplace. Our trade union legislation provides for picketing to lawfully take place, but this picketing must be peaceful and those on picket lines must not harass or intimidate workers that choose to attend work. The Code of Practice on Picketing remains in effect and this will continue to be the case.
In the event of non-striking workers being intimidated or harassed, there is a wide range of criminal and civil sanctions that are applicable in this area including in common law and in various acts of Parliament.