§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if all porters employed at the Hereford county hospital have the same pay and conditions of employment; and if he will make a statement. [25531]
§ Yvette CooperAs part of the private finance initiative deal for the new hospital in Hereford it was agreed that all existing hotel services staff, including porters, should transfer their terms and conditions of employment under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) Regulations 1981. However, new starters are subject to the terms and conditions offered by the owners of the new hospital.
The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions recently announced a review of best value in local government. One of the issues which the review will examine is whether a two-tier workforce has developed when services previously operated by the public sector transfer to a private provider and new staff are offered inferior terms and conditions than the workers who have transferred. The Department of Trade and Industry has already published a consultation document on the reform of TUPE with a view to enhanced employee protection.