Consultation outcome

Labour market exploitation: improving enforcement

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government
This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Tackling exploitation in the labour market: government response

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Detail of outcome

We received support for the proposals set out in the consultation. We will:

  • create the role of Director of Labour Market Enforcement to set the strategic priorities for labour market enforcement bodies
  • allow data sharing between the Director, the Intelligence Hub, labour market enforcement bodies and other bodies with intelligence
  • create a new labour market undertaking and enforcement order regime to allow us to deal with repeat labour market offenders and rogue businesses
  • reform the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to become the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, with stronger powers to deal with labour exploitation across the economy

Detail of feedback received

We received 93 responses from a wide range of respondents including:

  • trade bodies
  • charities
  • labour providers
  • trade unions
  • individuals
  • statutory organisations

Original consultation

Summary

We’re seeking views on proposals to improve the enforcement of employment rights to prevent non-compliance and the exploitation of vulnerable workers.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

This consultation seeks views on a range of proposals to improve the effectiveness of the enforcement of employment rights to protect workers from exploitation.

These include:

  • establishing a statutory Director of Labour Market Enforcement
  • creating a new offence of an aggravated breach of labour market legislation
  • increasing intelligence and data sharing between the existing enforcement bodies
  • widening the remit, increasing the powers and changing the name of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to enable it to deal with serious exploitation

It will be of interest to employers, employees, trade unions and business representative bodies.

Documents

Updates to this page

Published 13 October 2015
Last updated 12 January 2016 + show all updates
  1. Added government response, equality analysis and summary of responses.

  2. Updated closing date to 7 December.

  3. First published.

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