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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect on part-time workers in (a) the UK and (b) each region of measures agreed at EU level to ensure pro rata rights to (i) paid leave, (ii) pensions, (iii) access to training and (iv) other company benefits. [185324] Mr. Sutcliffe: The Second Work-Life Balance Study--Employees' Survey, carried out during January and February 2003, asked employees if their employer provided part-time workers with (a) the same hourly rate of pay as full-time workers; (b) the same entitlements to annual leave and maternity/parental leave on a pro rata basis as full-time workers; and (c) the same entitlement to contractual sick pay as full- time workers. A significant minority answered `no', as shown in the following table. Table: Percentages of employees who answer `no' when asked about provisions for part-time staff, by UK region _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Does your employer NE Yorks and Humb E Mids Eastern Gtr London SE provide part-time workers with the following? The same hourly rate of 18 9 11 12 15 11 pay as full-time workers The same entitlements to 9 3 4 8 11 7 annual leave and maternity/paternity leave on a pro rata basis as full-time workers The same entitlement to 12 6 8 12 13 8 contractual sick pay as full-time workers Does your employer SW W Mids NW Wales Scotland UK provide part-time workers with the following? The same hourly rate of 9 13 12 14 15 12 pay as full-time workers The same entitlements to 6 10 10 17 9 8 annual leave and maternity/paternity leave on a pro rata basis as full-time workers The same entitlement to 10 11 14 18 12 11 contractual sick pay as full-time workers _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: Base=1823. Other response categories not reported here were `yes' and `don't know'. According to the Second Work-Life Balance Study-- Employers' Survey, carried out between December 2002 and April 2003, less than 1 per cent. of part-time employees were ineligible for maternity/paternity, parental or special paid leave entitlements available to full-time employees. Employers reported that none of their part-time staff were ineligible for employer- provided childcare facilities or help where they were available. Employers reported that between 0.1 and 1.9 per cent. of their part-time staff were ineligible for various flexible working practices, depending on which particular practice was being considered. Because the number of corresponding cases is very small, it is not possible to provide a regional breakdown. It is recognised that it is likely that employers will under report any ineligibility for part time staff. The DTI has not collected any statistics on pensions, access to training or other company benefits (other than access to flexible working practices and child care).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

424 c511-2W;424 c512W; 185324

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Conditions of employment Leave EU action Pay Pensions Part-time employment Training

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk