Parliamentary engagement opportunities

Making Work Pay - DBT Consultation series

As part of its workplace reform package, the Government has opened consultations on a series of proposals including: 

• Collective Redundancy and Fire & Rehire (strengthening the collective redundancy framework and protections for employees against fire and rehire practices - Deadline: 2 December)

• Zero Hours Contracts and Agency Workers (measures to tackle one-sided flexibility in zero hours contracts through a right to guaranteed hours with a contract that reflects the number of hours regularly worked, and a right to reasonable notice of shifts with payment for shifts cancelled or curtailed at short notice - Deadline: 2 December)

• A Modern Framework for Industrial Relations (update trade union legislation, so it is fit for a modern economy, removing unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity and ensuring industrial relations are based around collaboration, proportionality, accountability, and balancing the interests of workers, businesses and the wider public - Deadline: 2 December)

• Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (Deadline: 4 December)

Acceptance of Cash - Select Committee Inquiry

The Treasury committee has launched an inquiry into whether there is a need in the UK to regulate or mandate the acceptance of physical cash in the form of notes and coins. The inquiry will consider any need for legislation and/or regulation, and potential costs to consumers and businesses.

Deadline: 2 December

Pensions Investment Review: Unlocking the UK pensions market for growth – DWP Consultation

This consultation sets out proposed reforms to deliver scale, accelerate consolidation and drive a focus on value over cost in the Defined Contribution (DC) workplace pensions market and explores other changes.

Deadline: 16 January 

Inheritance Tax on Pensions: Liability, Reporting and Payment - HMRC Consultation

His Majesty's Revenue and Customs are welcoming views on the process required to implement changes to inheritance tax rules for pension funds and death benefits. 

Deadline: 22 January

Consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime – DBT Consultation

The Department for Business and Trade are seeking views on legislative proposals for subscription contracts between traders and consumers, which will inform secondary legislation. 

Deadline: 10 February 

Clamping Down on Offshore Tax Avoidance - HMRC Consultation

His Majesty's Revenue and Customs are seeking evidence to understand and identify where rules against offshore personal tax avoidance could be improved or updated.

Deadline: 19 February

Refining the UK subsidy control regime - DBT Consultation 

the Department for Business and Trade are seeking views on refining two areas of the UK subsidy regime: changing the thresholds for referral of subsidies to the CMA; and creating new streamlined routes for public authorities to use to deliver subsidies more quickly and easily in specific circumstances.

Deadline: 21 January  

The Financing of the Scottish Government - Scottish Affairs Committee 

The Scottish Affairs Committee are examining the framework for fiscal devolution in Scotland. The inquiry will evaluate the effectiveness of the Barnett formula and the fiscal farmework in calculating the amount of money available for provided devolved services in Scotland.

Deadline: 5 January 

New Towns Taskforce - MHCLG Call for Evidence

The New Towns Taskforce has launched a call for evidence to explore opportunities for large developments of at least 10,000 homes. They are looking for details like possible locations, potential obstacles and likely impact on economic growth.

Deadline: 13 December

Enabling Remote Attendance, Proxy Voting at LA meetings - MHCLG Consultation

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking feedback on the detail and practical implications of allowing remote and hybrid attendance at local authority meetings and, in some cases, allowing proxy voting.

Deadline: 19 December

Environmental sustainability and housing growth – Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry

 The Environmental Audit Committee is seeking views on how the Government’s proposed reforms to national planning policy and housebuilding targets might affect environmental protections and current approaches to sustainable development.

Deadline: 20 December 

Consultation on a New Direction to Social Housing Rent Policy - MHCLG Consultation

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government have asked for feedback on their proposal to create more stability in the social rent sector by improving confidence in the government's commitment to multi-year funding settlements. 

Deadline: 23 December

Judicial Review into Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects - MoJ Consultation

The Ministry of Justice are seeking opinions on the recommendations made in a recent review into legal challenges against nationally significant infrastructure projects.

Deadline: 30 December

The Financing of the Scottish Government – Scottish Affairs Committee Inquiry

This inquiry will examine the framework for fiscal devolution in Scotland. The Committee will evaluate the effectiveness of the Barnett formula and the fiscal framework in calculating the amount of money available for providing devolved services in Scotland. As part of this, the Committee will examine the interaction between UK Government fiscal events and in-year budgetary changes, and the impact they can have on the funding of Scotland's public services.

Deadline: 5 January 

Promoting Wales for inward investment – Welsh Affairs Committee Inquiry

This inquiry will look at how ‘Brand Wales’ is promoted internationally to market Wales as a competitive destination for inward investment, and what lessons can be learnt from success stories in the creative industries and sports sectors.

Deadline: 13 January 

Reforming the Right to Buy – MHCLG Consultation

This consultation seeks views on how the Right to Buy should be reformed to deliver a fairer, better value and more sustainable scheme where longstanding tenants can buy their own homes and where councils can replace those homes.

Deadline: 15 January 

Reforming Air Passenger Duty on Private Jets - HM Treasury

The Treasury are asking for views on their proposal to extend the scope of the higher rate of Air Passenger Duty to all private jets, including business jets. 

Deadline: 22 January

Buses Connecting Communities - Transport Committee

The Transport Committee are examining the role of bus services in connecting rural communities with nearby towns and suburban areas. 

Deadline: 17 January 

Update to Media Mergers Regime - DCMS Consultation

The Department for Media, Culture and Sport are seeking feedback on their proposed ammendments to the Enterprise Act of 2002 relating to government intervention in media mergers. 

Deadline: 18 December

Social Media, Misinformation and Harmful Algorithms – SITC Inquiry

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is launching an inquiry into the links between algorithms used by social media and search engines to rank content, generative AI, and the spread of harmful or false content online. 

Deadline: 18 December

Game On: Community and school sport - CMS Committee Inquiry 

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee have launched an inquiry examining the health of sport in locla communities and schools and whether more can be done to sustain and grow sporting opportunities for all. 

Deadline: 12 January

Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction - HSC Committee Inquiry

The Health and Social Care Committee has launched an inquiry that will investigate the cost of not reforming social care to individuals, the NHS, local authorities and also to the wider economy and HM Treasury. Looking at older and working age adults, it will focus on the financial cost and personal costs of inaction and on potential benefits that are being missed. 

Deadline: 11 December

Care Leavers not in Employment, Education or Training - London Assembly Inquiry

The London Assembly's Economy, Culture and Skills committee has launched an inquiry into the challenges facing young people leaving care and what the Mayor, local and central government can do to help get into employment, education or training. 

Deadline: 6 December

Children's Social Care - Education Committee

The Education Committee's inquiry is investigating how to improve early intervention, tackle rising demand and rising local authority spending, and support children with complex needs. The inquiry will also assess support for care leavers and the social care market in the context of the private and public sector. 

Deadline: TBC

Summer 2024 Disorder – Home Affairs Committee

The Home Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry to consider the policing response to the disorder in England and Wales between 30 July and 7 August 2024, following the violent events in Southport on 29 July. 

Deadline: 10 December 

Family Visa Rules Requirements - MAC Consultation

The Migration Advisory Committee has been commissioned by the Home Secretary to review the financial requirements for family visas. 

Deadline: 11 December

Pensioner Poverty: Challenges and Mitigations - Work and Pensions Committee

The Work and Pensions Committee are looking at the state of pensioner poverty in the UK. They are investigating which groups are most affected, the health impacts, and how the state pension and other support can mitigate the risks. 

Deadline: 6 January 

The FCDO’s approach to value for money – International Development Committee Inquiry

This inquiry will consider how the FCDO defines Value for Money, how this is implemented within its programming and its use of financing instruments to ensure that ODA (foreing aid) achieves maximum impact.

Deadline: 7 January 

The Israel-Palestine Conflict - Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry 

The Foreign Affairs Committee have launched an inquiry into how the UK and its allies can help to achieve a ceasefire and lasting end to the war in Gaza and Lebanon. 

Deadline: 31 December

 Costs protection for discrimination claims - MOJ inquiry

The Ministry of Justice is seeking views on whether costs protection should be extended to discrimination claims in civil courts in England and Wales. 

Deadline: 19 February 

Rehabilitation and Resettlement: Ending the Cycle of Reoffending - Justice Committee Inquiry 

The Justice Committee has launched an inquiry into "Resettlement and Rehabilitation" to investigate the cycle of reoffending. Among other issues, the inquiry will look at the regime offer in different prisons, services and governance in prisons, alternatives to custody, and the role of community sentencing. 

Deadline: 10 January 

Common Charger for Electrical Devices - OPSS Consultation

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is seeking views on the introduction of a common charger across the UK for mobile phones and other portable electrical and electronic devices.

Deadline: 4 December 

Capacity Market: Maintain Security and Enable Flexibility of Supply - DESNZ Call for Evidence

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are seeking views on their plans to maintain the security of the supply of electricity while also driving the decarbonisation of gas power plants. 

Deadline: 10 December 

Unlocking community energy at scale – ESNZ Committee Inquiry

The ESNZ Committee has launched an inquiry into community energy which aims to identify potential solutions to the financial and regulatory barriers facing community energy projects, including how to establish local supply; consider the role of the Local Power Plan in supporting community energy; and assess how reforms to the planning system, grid connections and the energy market could support the growth of community energy at scale.

Deadline: 13 January 

Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy – ESNZ Committee Inquiry

The committee has launched an inquiry on the UK can create the workforce that is needed to deliver the policies and infrastructure for the UK’s clean, secure energy mission.  

Deadline: 13 January 

GB Energy and the net zero transition - Scottish Affairs Committee 

The Committee is investigating the transition to net zero in Scotland's energy sector, and how the UK Government can support a transition that maximises opportunities for jobs and economic growth.

Deadline: 12 January