I have been successful in the ballot to introduce a Private Members' Bill to Parliament. Private Members Bills are an opportunity for backbench MPs to introduce a new law or amend an existing one. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness around an issue.
I plan to use the opportunity to implement my ‘Tips Bill’ which seeks to formalise a change to employment law that would ban employers from keeping tips which are intended for staff providing a direct service.
This would be in the form of an agreement for staff to keep the tips intended for them from customers, or an arrangement in place where tips are divided fairly between staff. This will be determined by each individual business in consultation with the staff team.
I am so pleased to have been selected to introduce a Private Members' Bill. The Bill will give me a further opportunity to discuss this really important issue which I have already introduced to the House. I feel very strongly that tips given by customers should be retained by hard working staff, including kitchen or cleaning staff for example who work out of sight and can often go unrecognised.
Many people working in the hospitality and creative industries see tips as part of their salary in a way and it has always felt inappropriate to me that businesses can retain the tips intended for people directly providing the service. Thousands of my constituents work in the hospitality and creative industries so the Bill will benefit many in my constituency and beyond.
