Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on the number of warehouse workers who cannot speak fluent English.

The government does not collect data on the English language proficiency of private sector employees, which includes warehouse workers.

Employers can choose how they recruit for their organisation, but they must follow a fair process.

Health and safety law does not require workers to be able to speak English, but the Health and Safety Executive states that employers have a duty to provide comprehensible information. This does not have to be in English, but risks, safety measures and emergency procedures must be clearly communicated to all workers.