PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Private Sector: Human Rights (23 February 2016)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of his Department's UK National Contact Point in investigating complaints on private sector contract compliance with UK human rights commitments.

Asked by:
Dame Angela Eagle (Labour)

The UK National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Multi-National Enterprise Guidelines considers complaints that UK based multinationals have not met the voluntary obligations of the Guidelines in regard to responsible business behaviour. Ministers have no role in the NCP’s investigation of complaints, but ensure that its final statements on complaints are available for scrutiny in the House Libraries. The UK NCP also reports annually to the OECD Investment Committee which is responsible for the Guidelines and their implementation.

The UK Government is committed to fulfilling its obligations under the OECD Multi-National Enterprise Guidelines and maintaining a NCP which operates in line with international best practice. The UK NCP is regularly invited by the OECD to contribute to best practice sharing and the OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria has praised its effectiveness and positive outcomes.

Answered by:
Anna Soubry (The Independent Group for Change)
26 February 2016