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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made assessment of the potential merits of limiting the reasons for workplace dismissal during covid-19 outbreak.

The Government believes that the existing employment rights offer sufficient protection from unfair dismissal, particularly those matters that are considered to be automatically unfair which may be more relevant during these exceptional times. There are a number of reasons why in certain situations a dismissal is likely to be automatically unfair, including reasons such as a request for flexible working; exercising the right to time off for dependants; reasons related to pregnancy and maternity; and, disability discrimination.