Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his oral contribution of 6 March 2019, Official Report, column 994, on the Swedish derogation, whether he has finished reflecting upon the representations he has received from the trade unions on the timing of the abolition of the Swedish derogation; and what the outcome has been of his reflections.

Through the Good Work Plan, published in December 2018, the Government has committed to upgrading workers’ rights and protecting the most vulnerable workers. This represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in over 20 years. The Government has considered all representations made to it about the Swedish derogation and is committed to its repeal. Secondary legislation repealing the Swedish Derogation has already been approved by the House of Commons’ Seventh Delegated Legislation Committee on 6 March 2019. Subject to approval from the House of Lords, from April 2020 all agency workers will be entitled to the same pay as permanent staff after 12 weeks in an assignment. This timeframe allows businesses to realign their contractual arrangements, both with their workers and the end hirers.