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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which bodies he met for his Department's investigation into tips, gratuities, covers and service charges; and on how many occasions and when such meetings with such bodies took place.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills launched the Call for Evidence into tips, gratuities, cover and service charges on 30 August 2016. This closed on 10 November 2016. The Government received a total of 183 responses from a range of sources during the investigation. In addition to this, officials of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have met with the British Hospitality Association, UnitetheUnion and the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers during the call for evidence period.

Departments publish details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations. BIS transparency data is published online at www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012.