§ Mr. Alan CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make an announcement on the Fixed Term Employees' (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002. [58082]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Fixed Term Employees' (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 will not be coming into force on the 10 July 2002, as intended, since the Employment Bill (which contains the regulation-making power) has not yet received Royal54W Assent. We intend to lay the regulations once the Bill has received Royal Assent and aim to bring them into force on 1 October. This will give businesses and employees ample time to prepare for these new regulations, in line with the Government's better regulation guidelines.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the annual additional employment costs of work-related regulations introduced since 1997. [55508]
§ Alan JohnsonCosts and benefits of employment legislation are estimated and published in regulatory impact assessments, which are available in the Libraries of the House. The annual costs to business of employment legislation implemented by the Department since 1997 are estimated to be approximately £5 billion per year. The vast majority of these costs arise through the provision of enhanced terms and conditions of employment.