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Warehouses: Employment

Asked by Lee AndersonReform UKDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 31 March 2026UIN 122771

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has issued guidance on English language requirements for employment within warehouses.

Answered by Kate Dearden

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.

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