Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that businesses are complying with all parts of the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is the responsibility of all businesses to ensure that they are aware of their obligations under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) to their customers and employees. To help them in this, Government and relevant independent bodies offer a range of technical guidance and statutory codes of practice that clearly explain what businesses should and should not do to ensure that their conduct is lawful and not discriminatory.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is the public body responsible for enforcing the Act. The EHRC provides guidance to assist businesses, including service providers, to help ensure compliance with all parts of the Act. The guides explain how businesses can avoid the different types of unlawful discrimination, against customers and employees, including those with disabilities.
Guidance for any organisation providing a service can be found here: https://equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/guidance-businesses
Guidance for employers can be found here: https://equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/guidance-employers
Tailored advice is also available to both businesses, employees and service users through two helplines. The Equality and Advisory Support Service (EASS) is a Government-funded helpline and the initial point of contact for anyone with discrimination concerns. The EASS provides free bespoke advice and also supports businesses and their customers to resolve issues using alternative informal dispute resolution. The EASS can also advise people who wish to take their complaint further on their options.
Acas offers a similar service to employers and employees, both information and early conciliation, where it is hoped that disputes can be resolved before progression to tribunal. Like the EHRC, Acas has also published guidance for employers to help them to behave in accordance with Equality Act requirements, for example their “What discrimination is by law” pages, that can be viewed at: https://www.acas.org.uk/discrimination-and-the-law
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) the compensation process for missing airline luggage and (b) airline (i) processes and (ii) timescales for declaring luggage as lost to enable the payment of (A) compensation and (B) travel insurance claims.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
The Montreal Convention 1999 is the international convention that establishes airline liability for delay, damage or loss of baggage. In the event of baggage being lost, damaged or delayed, passengers should contact their airline. In the event they cannot reach an appropriate conclusion with the airline, passengers can escalate complaints either through Alternative Dispute Resolution, or through the Civil Aviation Authority Passenger Advice and Complaints Team.
We published the Aviation Passenger Charter in July 2022, which sets out the rights and responsibilities of passengers at each stage of their journey, including what to do if things go wrong, such as lost baggage.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions his Department has had with ACAS about (a) improving access to mediation during employment disputes and (b) helping ensure employers engage with mediation services.
Answered by Dean Russell
The Department frequently engages with ACAS on all aspects of alternative dispute resolution service, including access to mediation and conciliation.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how a passenger whose flight has been delayed or cancelled can ascertain whether that cancellation or delay has been caused by air traffic control problems.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Civil Aviation Act 2012, airports report to the CAA punctuality of flights. This data is collated and published on the CAA’s website on a monthly basis.
In addition, airlines, airports and air traffic providers also input delays and the reason for delays into the EUROCONTROL system, as part of a well-established and accepted industry process.
Passengers’ rights are primary and when passengers are delayed or face cancellations, they deserve explanations and refunds.
Passengers have the ability to claim for delayed and cancelled flights through UK261. Through this process they are able to request an Air Traffic Control (ATC) statement, that will outline any ATC delays their flight experienced.
Moreover, if passengers feel they have not received adequate details from their airline, they are able to raise this with either the CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaint’s Team (PACT) or with the Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme approved by the CAA.
On 17 July, the Secretary of State announced the new Aviation Passenger Charter which helps passengers understand their rights and responsibilities, including when there is disruption.
We continue to be clear that any delays and cancellations should be avoided by the aviation sector but when these happen, and passengers are affected they should be in a position to rightly claim refunds or compensation.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how a (1) passenger, or (2) other member of the public, can identify whether (a) an airline, or (b) air traffic control, are responsible for the delay or cancellation of a flight.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Civil Aviation Act 2012, airports report to the CAA punctuality of flights. This data is collated and published on the CAA’s website on a monthly basis.
In addition, airlines, airports and air traffic providers also input delays and the reason for delays into the EUROCONTROL system, as part of a well-established and accepted industry process.
Passengers’ rights are primary and when passengers are delayed or face cancellations, they deserve explanations and refunds.
Passengers have the ability to claim for delayed and cancelled flights through UK261. Through this process they are able to request an Air Traffic Control (ATC) statement, that will outline any ATC delays their flight experienced.
Moreover, if passengers feel they have not received adequate details from their airline, they are able to raise this with either the CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaint’s Team (PACT) or with the Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme approved by the CAA.
On 17 July, the Secretary of State announced the new Aviation Passenger Charter which helps passengers understand their rights and responsibilities, including when there is disruption.
We continue to be clear that any delays and cancellations should be avoided by the aviation sector but when these happen, and passengers are affected they should be in a position to rightly claim refunds or compensation.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how disputes between airlines and air traffic control systems over the reasons for delays and cancellations are recorded.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Civil Aviation Act 2012, airports report to the CAA punctuality of flights. This data is collated and published on the CAA’s website on a monthly basis.
In addition, airlines, airports and air traffic providers also input delays and the reason for delays into the EUROCONTROL system, as part of a well-established and accepted industry process.
Passengers’ rights are primary and when passengers are delayed or face cancellations, they deserve explanations and refunds.
Passengers have the ability to claim for delayed and cancelled flights through UK261. Through this process they are able to request an Air Traffic Control (ATC) statement, that will outline any ATC delays their flight experienced.
Moreover, if passengers feel they have not received adequate details from their airline, they are able to raise this with either the CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaint’s Team (PACT) or with the Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme approved by the CAA.
On 17 July, the Secretary of State announced the new Aviation Passenger Charter which helps passengers understand their rights and responsibilities, including when there is disruption.
We continue to be clear that any delays and cancellations should be avoided by the aviation sector but when these happen, and passengers are affected they should be in a position to rightly claim refunds or compensation.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether either the (1) Civil Aviation Authority, or (2) individual airport air traffic control systems, have responsibility for recording details of flight delays and cancellations.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Civil Aviation Act 2012, airports report to the CAA punctuality of flights. This data is collated and published on the CAA’s website on a monthly basis.
In addition, airlines, airports and air traffic providers also input delays and the reason for delays into the EUROCONTROL system, as part of a well-established and accepted industry process.
Passengers’ rights are primary and when passengers are delayed or face cancellations, they deserve explanations and refunds.
Passengers have the ability to claim for delayed and cancelled flights through UK261. Through this process they are able to request an Air Traffic Control (ATC) statement, that will outline any ATC delays their flight experienced.
Moreover, if passengers feel they have not received adequate details from their airline, they are able to raise this with either the CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaint’s Team (PACT) or with the Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme approved by the CAA.
On 17 July, the Secretary of State announced the new Aviation Passenger Charter which helps passengers understand their rights and responsibilities, including when there is disruption.
We continue to be clear that any delays and cancellations should be avoided by the aviation sector but when these happen, and passengers are affected they should be in a position to rightly claim refunds or compensation.
Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has taken recent steps to increase the incentives for consumers to make claims under the EU Regulation EC 261 compensation structure for domestic flight delays and cancellations.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation sought views on a range of consumer issues, including additional enforcement powers for the CAA, mandatory alternative dispute resolution for all airlines operating to, from and within the UK, and consideration of amendments to the compensation available for delayed domestic UK flights.
The delay compensation proposal sought views on whether compensation should be linked to the ticket price of a flight, and to make compensation available for shorter delays. An impact assessment was published alongside this proposal.
Responses to the consultation are being analysed and we will publish a response setting out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of whether his Department's proposed changes to compensation rules for flight delays and cancellations will entitle consumers to higher compensation.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation sought views on a range of consumer issues, including additional enforcement powers for the CAA, mandatory alternative dispute resolution for all airlines operating to, from and within the UK, and consideration of amendments to the compensation available for delayed domestic UK flights.
The delay compensation proposal sought views on whether compensation should be linked to the ticket price of a flight, and to make compensation available for shorter delays. An impact assessment was published alongside this proposal.
Responses to the consultation are being analysed and we will publish a response setting out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Ofcom in improving customer service standards in the mobile and broadband sector.
Answered by Matt Warman
Ofcom has industry rules in place which are designed to protect consumers - specifically around complaints processes and customer access to alternative dispute resolution procedures. In June 2019, major broadband and mobile providers signed up to Ofcom’s voluntary Fairness Commitments which sought to encourage signatory providers to embed fairness across their businesses. In May 2021, Ofcom reviewed progress against the Fairness Commitments and identified customer service levels as an area of concern, as such this is likely to be a focus for future work on the Commitments.
In May 2022, Ofcom published its customer service tracking report for mobile, broadband and landline, which is based on customers’ experiences in 2021, amid the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ofcom found that overall customer satisfaction levels were high - with 91% of mobile customers and 83% of broadband customers satisfied with their service overall. However, service levels did not return to 2019 levels across the industry. Ofcom will continue to engage with providers and challenge them to prioritise service improvements to beyond pre-pandemic levels.