Select committee: Constitution Committee
7th Report - Employment Rights Bill
Published 4 April 2025
Constitution Committee Employment Rights Bill Report on parliament.uk ↗
At a glanceGovernment response published 8 July 2025
The government's response
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.
The government says it shares the Committee's commitment to appropriate use of delegated powers and Henry VIII powers, and its response mostly defends the Bill's approach while adding some amendments and commitments.
- On the zero hours delegated powers, it has tabled amendments requiring the Secretary of State to "have regard to" specified considerations when using the power at Section 27BD(6), while retaining the ability to consult on its uses.
- On criminal offences by regulations (Clause 54), it "intend[s] to retain the power" and considers the approach "appropriate in the circumstances", but intends to amend the Bill so that the section 84A(2) power is subject to the affirmative procedure for all uses.
- On enforcement powers, it says existing safeguards will continue under the Fair Work Agency, and officers will need a warrant to enter dwellings. Internal policies and procedures will be produced before Part 5 is commenced.
- On Employment Tribunal backlogs, it "intend[s] to publish further analysis" in an Enactment Impact Assessment when the Bill secures Royal Assent, and further assessments when it consults on proposed regulations.
What the committee recommended
No recommendations or conclusions have been extracted from this report. This is normal for correspondence and for special reports.
Sources
- 7th Report - Employment Rights Bill ↗The committee's report, parliament.uk
- Letter from Baroness Jones to Lord Strathclyde, Chair of the Constitution Committee, responding to the Committee's report on the Employment Rights Bill ↗The government's response, 8 July 2025, parliament.uk