Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Recommendation 15
Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour markets
Published 21 Apr 2023
Paragraph 103
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour markets All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
There is evidence to suggest that we cannot be complacent about the effectiveness of existing law in protecting women who are pregnant from redundancy, or who are on maternity leave, or who return to work after pregnancy. We welcome the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill as a small step, but the Government may need to return with stronger protective measures if evidence of discrimination persists. To collect this evidence we recommend that the Government commissions research similar to that conducted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission for BEIS in 2016.
From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour markets (HC 306), paragraph 103, 21 April 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 20 July 2023 (deadline 21 June 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and points to a strong labour market, accepting little of the structural change recommended: it "do[es] not feel it necessary to further alter the machinery of Government" and "does not agree with the Committee's characterisation of enforcement".
- On a Ministry of Labour and related structures, it says the existing arrangements will drive effective policy, so it does "not feel it necessary to further alter the machinery of Government".
- On workplace technology, it "does not believe excessive restrictions on the use of technology are appropriate", nor that the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill is the appropriate vehicle for the Committee's wider proposals.
- On a single enforcement body, it says it must be "realistic about what we can achieve given the limits on parliamentary time" and is "reviewing what this means" for its creation.
- On a menopause leave pilot, it "does not believe that introducing or piloting a specific policy for menopause leave is necessary". On the Lifelong Loan Entitlement, it will deliver from academic year 2025/26 but says only that it "can share findings one year after it's commencement".