Oral QuestionDepartment for Business and Trade

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing fair pay agreements in a range of business sectors.

Tabled: 23 October 2025Answered: 30 October 2025

Asked by

Andy McDonald

LabourMiddlesbrough and Thornaby East

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Business and Trade

Answer from Hansard

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Kate Dearden)

I thank my hon. Friend for his long-standing advocacy in this area. We want to work constructively with unions, employers and stakeholders to build on the Employment Rights Bill. Our first priority for a fair pay agreement is adult social care, a large and complex sector with over 19,000 providers and 1.5 million dedicated workers. As such, our priority is ensuring that this process works effectively, which is why I am delighted that the Government have announced a £500 million investment in the first ever fair pay agreement in the social care sector. We will use what we learn to consider where fair pay agreements can offer similar benefits across other sectors.