Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what employment protections exist for staff in the offshore oil and gas sector in the event of an employer seeking to replace them with non-UK based workers on lower rates of pay.

A range of employment rights, including protections from unfair dismissal, have been extended to offshore workers over the years. The exact entitlements available to an offshore worker can depend on the nature of their employment and the location of their work.

However, as the Government has already acknowledged, it is not always easy for individuals to establish their employment status and therefore determine their rights. That is why the employment status review, announced by my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in October last year, will consider how the current framework and entitlements work, presenting a range of options for Ministers to consider in March