Employment Conditions (Contracted-out Staff)

HC Deb 27 March 2001 vol 365 cc585-6W

Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to reduce disparities between staff in contracted-out public services who are transferred on TUPE terms and other employees of the contractor. [156083]

Mr. Byers

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employees) Regulations are designed to preserve the continuity of employment and protect the rights of those affected by business transfers. All employees have already benefited from the framework of basic minimum standards introduced by this Government. We are nevertheless examining whether unfair disparities between different groups of workers doing the same work for the same employer may arise where one group retains rights as a result of a TUPE transfer following contracting-out and others are then employed under different terms and conditions of employment. This will be considered in parallel with our wide-ranging review of the TUPE Regulations, on which we intend to consult in the summer.