§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if former employees of British Rail working for a new railway contractor following the privatisation of British Rail will be entitled to statutory redundancy pay and statutory sick pay based upon their cumulative employment under both employers. [25806]
§ Mr. WattsProvided a move from one employer to another is part of a transfer of an undertaking where employees are transferred with their existing contracts of service to the new undertaking—that is, a transfer to which the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 apply— then continuity of employment is maintained. This means that employment with both employers counts towards any statutory or contractual entitlements which have a minimum qualifying period or are based on length of service.