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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(20 May 2026)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will commit to completing an affordability impact assessment of trade union access to SMEs.

Asked by:
Jack Rankin (Conservative)

Answer

The government considers the impact of its policies on businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, as part of the standard impact assessment process.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 created a new legal framework for unions and employers to negotiate access into the workplace, ensuring that access takes place in a regulated and responsible manner. The government has taken steps to ensure the framework is proportionate, including by providing an exemption to the policy for employers with fewer than 21 workers.

An impact assessment for the Employment Rights Act was published during its parliamentary passage. A further impact assessment on the trade union right of access policy will be published in due course.


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