Mr Alisdair Walker has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the State of Eritrea in succession to Mr Ian Richards. Mr Walker will take up his appointment in February 2019.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Alisdair Walker

Married to: Sue Walker

Children: Three

2015 to 2018	FCO, Head, China Internal Section, East Asia Department
2011 to 2015	Seoul, Counsellor (Political)
2007 to 2011	FCO, Team Leader, Japan, Korean Peninsula and Mongolia Section, Far Eastern Department
2004 to 2007	Abuja, Second Secretary (Political)
2002 to 2004	FCO, Desk Officer, Human Rights Department
2000 to 2002	FCO, Desk Officer, Quality and Efficiency Unit
1999 to 2000	FCO, Desk Officer, Internal Audit Department
1995 to 1999	Moscow, Assistant Management Officer
1991 to 1994	Islamabad, Third Secretary (Political)
1990 to 1991	FCO, Desk Officer, East Africa Department
1989 to 1990	FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, Economic Relations Department

Further information

Published 17 December 2018

Today the Government has published the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations to tackle one-sided flexibility. In addition to our usual brief recommending the minimum wage rates, the LPC was also asked to undertake some additional tasks in relation the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices. These were to review the scale and nature of the issue of ‘one-sided flexibility’, to assess the impact of introducing a higher minimum wage for non-guaranteed hours and consider alternative policy ideas.

We found evidence of one-sided flexibility as identified in the Taylor Review: the misuse by some employers of flexible working arrangements creating unpredictability, insecurity of income and a reluctance among some workers to assert basic employment rights. However, we also found evidence of positive examples of flexibility and believe it is important to preserve genuine two-way flexibility.

Commissioners thought that the higher minimum wage for non-guaranteed hours did not address one-sided flexibility effectively and had the potential to create many unintended consequences. We did not hear unqualified backing for the premium from any of the stakeholders we spoke to. We have therefore recommended an alternative package of measures.

• A right to switch to a contract which reflects your normal hours. This is not about a worker requesting a change to the amount of work they do, but rather proper recognition of their normal hours. We believe this will help to tackle the fear of employer retaliation by providing a guarantee of the worker’s normal hours. Workers already worried about raising issues in the workplace are less likely to raise a ‘request’ so the right needs to be stronger than this.
• A right to reasonable notice of work schedule – to encourage employers to provide workers with their work schedule in advance so that individuals can plan their lives.
• Compensation for shift cancellation or curtailment without reasonable notice –to discourage employers from cancelling shifts at the last minute or partway through a shift.
• Information to workers – the written statement of terms from employers should detail the rights we are proposing here.

We also recommend that the Government considers ways to specifically measure the scale of one-sided flexibility.

Chair of the LPC Bryan Sanderson said:

We agree that one-sided flexibility is a problem and have recommended a package of measures to address the issue. We found the problems were not specific to one form of contract but can happen across of range of working arrangements.

We are pleased to see that the Government will consider our recommendation for a right to switch to a contract that reflects normal working hours as it develops legislation on the ‘right to request a more stable contract’, and that it will consult on our other proposals.

Notes:

1. The Low Pay Commission is an independent body made up of employers, trade unions and experts whose role is to advise the Government on the minimum wage. The National Living Wage is the legally binding pay floor for workers aged 25 and over. The other minimum wage rates comprise: the 21-24 Year Old Rate, the 18-20 Year Old Rate, the 16-17 Year Old Rate and the Apprentice Rate.

2. The LPC’s extended remit from Government was to ‘assess the nature and extent of the issue identified in the Review; and to assess the impact of introducing a higher minimum wage for non-guaranteed hours. This assessment should consider any alternative policies that they consider address the same issue, including relevant international comparisons and evidence provided by stakeholders.’

3. The LPC provided its recommendations to the Government by 31 October, in line with the timetable set out in its remit.

4. The Government responded to the LPC’s recommendations in it’s Good Work Plan, also published on 17 December 2018. It said: “We welcome the Commission’s work and recommendations which are published alongside this document. As set out in this Good Work Plan, the Government remains determined to tackle one-sided flexibility while retaining the flexibility that many people find so valuable. For example, we are taking action by introducing a right to request a more stable contract. The Commission had specific views on this policy, which we will consider as we develop legislation. Alongside this, we will consult on the Low Pay Commission’s other proposals.”

5. The LPC refer to the higher minimum wage for non-guaranteed hours as the ‘premium’.

The LPC has today published its assessment of the scale and nature of one-sided flexibility, and recommendations for measures to address the problem.

• Pacific Islands, including Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Marshall Islands are on the frontline of climate change and are already facing rising sea levels that could undermine livelihoods, security and human rights.
• the UK is playing a leading role at the UN Secretary General’s climate conference in 2019 to accelerate the transition to a climate resilient planet.
• to date, the UK has invested over £70 million in the Pacific, focusing on strengthening climate resilience and addressing security issues.

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry has emphasised the UK’s commitment to support the Pacific Islands in combating climate change.

Opening the UK/New Zealand Wilton Park Forum on Climate Change and Resilience in the Pacific yesterday (16 December 2018), Claire Perry championed climate vulnerable nations and reminded governments, businesses, and international organisations everywhere of their absolute duty to tackle the biggest threat of our time.

The event, jointly hosted by the UK, New Zealand and the Pacific Island Forum, turned discussions and recommendations into practical solutions in areas including multilateral negotiations, oceans, plastics, finance, risk assessment and migration, deepened engagement between the UK and Pacific Island leaders and promoted new stakeholder partnerships to enhance future collaboration.

Speaking at the Forum, Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry said:

The Pacific Islands are small, but they are mighty. Despite hardly contributing to climate change, they are driving international action to reduce emissions and building the resilience of their communities. We can learn so much from them.

With the UK’s world-leading expertise in tackling climate change and the Pacific Islands’ determination, we will work closely together to find practical solutions and drive transformational change.

The UK has a longstanding relationship with the Pacific Islands and a shared agenda on Climate Change. During the COP24 summit in Poland last week, Claire Perry launched the UK’s new Capacity Building for international negotiations Programme (CaBIN). The £15.6 million technical assistance programme will increase the capacity of low income and climate vulnerable countries to become leading voices in international climate negotiations.

In addition, the government is providing £1.2 million in funding to support a Pacific Regional Nationally Determined Contributions Hub to support these countries in implementing their Paris Agreement commitments.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister responsible for Climate Change, Mark Field, welcomed the delegates at the beginning of the Forum:

The countries of the Pacific are at the forefront of the fight against climate change and we have much to learn from one another.

Failure to recognise that these challenges are coming down to the line, and to find ways to mitigate them, or to sufficiently adapt to them, in advance, is no longer an option.

Throughout COP24, the UK cemented its position as a global leader in tackling climate change and achieved:

• driving genuine climate action to ensure a level playing-field for every country and doing its bit to secure a robust rulebook that applies to all nations
• urging higher global ambition, by ensuring the Talanoa Dialogue, which takes stock of collective global efforts to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, results in a firm commitment from all countries to review and update their international Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
• continuing to play an active role in the negotiations while promoting UK experience and showcasing the scale and impact of UK International Climate Finance (ICF)
• since 1990 the UK economy has grown by 71 per cent while emissions have fallen by 43 per cent – the fastest progress on decarbonisation in the G20 since 2000

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry has committed funding to help support Pacific Islands in their work against climate change.