§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his reply dated 3 November 1980 to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby concerning redundancies notified to him in September, if he will publish in the Official Report information regarding the legal obligations on employers to notify him of impending redundancies; whether and, if so, when the employers concerned are required to inform their workers; what obligations are imposed on him by statute regarding.' confidentiality; and whether those obligations remain when the workers concerned have been informed that they are to be made redundant.
§ Mr. Jim LesterAn employer proposing to make redundancies is required by statute to notify my Department, where 10 or more workers are to be made redundant, within certain time limits. Full details of the notification provisions are contained in section 100 of the Employment Protection Act 1975.
With regard to any obligation to inform the workers of a proposed redundancy, the employer is required by statute to consult the recognised independent trade union for the category of workers to be made redundant, within certain time limits. Full details of the consultation provisions are contained in section 99 of the Employment Protection Act 1975.
If there is no recognised union, the employer is under no obligation to consult anyone about the proposed redundancy. However, he must still notify the Department. The employees will, of course, be entitled to their individual periods of notice under their contracts of employment subject to the minimum laid down in the Employment (Consolidation) Act 1978.
There is no obligation imposed on the Secretary of State by statute as regards confidentiality. However, information given by employers to my Department under the redundancy handling provisions is given in confidence. Details would not be divulged by my Department even after the workers concerned had been informed that they were to be made redundant.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his reply dated 3 November 1980 to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby, if he will publish in the Official Report details concerning those firms which have already made public their intentions as disclosed to the Department.
§ Mr. Jim LesterMy Department does not keep records of those firms which have made public their intention to declare redundancies.