HC Deb 13 June 2003 vol 406 cc346-7W
Mr. MacDougall

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what employment rights have been introduced since May 1997. [114620]

Alan Johnson

In its first term (1997–2001), the Government introduced a foundation of minimum standards in the workplace. Every employee now has, for example, the right to a minimum wage, paid holidays, rest breaks, time off for family emergencies, and a cap on the working week. Part-time workers have the same rights as their full-time colleagues. Since October 2002 there have also been specific protections for fixed- term employees not to be treated less favourably than comparable permanent employees on the grounds that their employment is for a fixed term. We have also reduced the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from two years to one year.

The Government has strengthened trade union rights. For example, trade unions have the right to be recognised for collective bargaining purposes where a majority of the relevant workforce wants it. We have also placed union learning representatives on a statutory footing giving them clear time off rights. The law now enable workers to be accompanied at a disciplinary and grievance hearing by a trade union official or a fellow worker. To complement this right, the Employment Act 2002 introduced statutory grievance and disciplinary procedures, which will ensure that all employees have access to decent workplace procedures.

In its second term the Government is building on all these measure, including a range of changes to the tax credit system such as the new Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit which will provide a simpler and more streamlined system to support families and to make work pay. Around six million families are expected to benefit from the new credits.

The Government has also improved existing maternity rights and introduced paid paternity and adoption leave for the first time. For example the payment period of Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance has been extended to 26 weeks.

The Government has recently laid before the House regulations to tackle discrimination in employment on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation and disability. In the Employment Act 2002, the Government also brought in measures to encourage the mutual resolution or workplace disputes.

A recent key development was the introduction of the right for working parents with children under six, or disabled children under 18, to request flexible working. This new right builds on existing best practice and further enforces or aim to promote greater dialogue in the workplace to find flexible solutions which suit both employers and employees.

Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the purpose of state-owned golden shares in privatised industries. [114874]

Ms Hewitt

Several Government departments currently hold special shares in a number of privatised industries. These shares were designed to protect what was perceived to be the public interest by the government of the time.

Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the recent ruling of the European Court of Justice on the legality of state-owned golden shares for(a) BAA, (b) National Grid, (c) Rolls Royce, (d) BAE Systems, (e) NATS, (f) British Energy and (g) the general economy. [114969]

Ms Hewitt

Following the European Court of Justice ruling of 13 May 2003 on state-owned golden shares, we are reviewing the situation in regard to special shares held by the Department of Trade and Industry (including those for National Grid, Rolls Royce, BAE Systems and British Energy) to ensure that such share holdings comply with EU law and continue to be in the public interest. State-owned shares in BAA and NATS are a matter for the Department for Transport.