Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing the role of a Fair Work Commissioner to ensure the independent enforcement of workers' rights.

Fair Work Agency officers will be operationally independent. Additionally, the Employment Right Bill provides for effective oversight of the Fair Work Agency through the three-year enforcement strategies and annual reports, which must be laid before Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The Secretary of State is also required to consult the Advisory Board, which will have equal representation from businesses, trade unions and independent experts, to ensure they benefit from a broad range of insight when developing these documents.