Working Time Regulations (Amendment) Bill

A bill to amend the Working Time Regulations 1998 to reduce the maximum working week from 48 hours per week to 32 hours per week and to provide for overtime pay; and for connected purposes
Bill IDLB11-05
Author(s) The Rt Hon and Rev Sir Dafydd ap Llywelyn KCTL GCVO KOBC CBE, 2nd Earl of Conwy
First reading2023 May 16
Affected legislation The Working Time Regulations 1998

Stages
2023-05-28 Second reading No divisions available for this stage
2023-05-28 First reading No divisions available for this stage
2023-05-27 Third reading No divisions available for this stage
2023-05-20 Second reading No divisions available for this stage
2023-05-16 First reading No divisions available for this stage

Versions
2023-05-16 As submitted Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows

1 Amendment of the Working Time Regulations 1998

  1. The Working Time Regulations 1998 are amended as follows.
  2. In Regulation 4(1), for “48” substitute “32”.
  3. In Regulation 5A(1)(b), for “40” substitute “32”.
  4. After Regulation 4, insert—

    Remuneration of working time exceeding the maximum

    4A Where a worker has, pursuant to regulation 5 (Agreement to exclude the maximum), given their agreement in writing to working time exceeding the maximum specified in regulation 4, such work shall be remunerated at a rate not less than one and one-half times the worker’s ordinary rate of pay.

2 Extent, commencement and short title

  1. This Act extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
  2. This Act comes into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which it is passed.
  3. This Act may be cited as the Working Time Regulations (Amendment) Act 2023.

Amendments

Amendment 1
Author(s) George Vere
  1. Insert Section 2 - Trial of Working Time Regulations (with the current Section 2 being renumbered accordingly), which shall read as follows:
    1. Upon this bill coming into force, the Secretary of State for Business and Industry shall commission a trial of 32-hour work weeks.
    2. The Secretary of State shall seek applications from UK-based universities to conduct trials.
      1. The university researchers must select at least 50 companies with workplaces in the UK to participate in this trial.
      2. The trial period must be 5 months or longer.
      3. The university researchers shall have autonomy in setting up and conducting this trial, so long as all conditions are approved by the Secretary of State.
    3. In accordance with regulations made by statutory instrument, only after the conclusion of this trial will Section 1 of this legislation be implemented.