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Written question asked by Lee Anderson (Reform UK) on Monday, 23 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 March 2026. It was answered by Kate Dearden (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.


Warehouses: Staff

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on the number of warehouse workers who cannot speak fluent English.

Answer

The government does not collect data on the English language proficiency of private sector employees, which includes warehouse workers.

Employers can choose how they recruit for their organisation, but they must follow a fair process.

Health and safety law does not require workers to be able to speak English, but the Health and Safety Executive states that employers have a duty to provide comprehensible information. This does not have to be in English, but risks, safety measures and emergency procedures must be clearly communicated to all workers.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
122769
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Staff English language Warehouses
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk