Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of current statutory rest break entitlements under the Working Time Regulations 1998; and whether he plans to review these provisions to improve working conditions for hourly paid workers.

The Working Time Regulations establish minimum standards for rest periods, including a 20-minute rest break after every 6 hours’ work, a minimum rest period of 11 hours each 24-hour period and a minimum rest period of 24 hours in any 7-day period. The government encourages employers to provide more rest breaks where appropriate for them and their workers, but the law seeks to guarantee minimum rest breaks for all workers, including those paid hourly, while also providing flexibility for businesses. The government has no current plans to review these provisions.