International Labour Organisation: Domestic Work

House of Lords written question – answered at on 12 October 2011.

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Photo of Lord Hylton Lord Hylton Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are signatories to the International Labour Organisation Convention on Domestic Workers of June 2011; and when they expect to be able to ratify the convention.

Photo of Baroness Wilcox Baroness Wilcox The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

The Government take the protection of all vulnerable workers as a matter of the utmost importance. The UK provides comprehensive employment and social protections to domestic workers, and as a rule does not differentiate between domestic workers' rights and those of other workers.

While we fully support the principles in the new International Labour Organisation convention concerning decent work for domestic workers, the Government have no plans to ratify it. This is because the final text would not provide sufficient flexibility to meet the UK's needs in a few areas, including health and safety law, where the UK differentiates for good reason between domestic workers and other workers. For example, the Government do not consider it proportionate or practical to extend criminal health and safety law, including inspections, to private households employing domestic workers. This would place a huge regulatory and administrative burden on individuals, and could have detrimental social consequences: for example, if increased burdens were to prevent elderly or disabled individuals from employing nurses or carers in their own homes.

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