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Asked by James McMurdockIndependentDepartment for Business, Innovation, Science and TradeTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 25719

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the appropriate notice period for shift scheduling in sectors where staffing requirements can change rapidly.

Answered by Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

What amounts to reasonable notice may differ in different sectors and circumstances so it would not be appropriate to require a set amount of notice in every circumstance. This is why the legislation just requires notice to be reasonable and creates a rebuttable presumption of what notice is reasonable. The government consulted on how much notice should be presumed reasonable, as well as other factors to be considered in determining what notice is reasonable in the circumstances. The consultation closed on August 25th and the government will publish a response in due course.

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