ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an announcement from the Government on the launch of a new watchdog which aims to protect workers’ rights in the UK.

At present, responsibility for tackling modern slavery, enforcing the minimum wage and protecting agency workers is currently spread across three separate bodies.

The introduction of the new watchdog will see the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and HMRC’s National Minimum Wage Enforcement combined to create a single enforcement body.

In addition to the existing powers, the single enforcement body will also have the ability to ensure vulnerable workers get the holiday pay and statutory sick pay they are entitled to and produce technical guidance for employers.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Convenience stores provide local, secure and flexible jobs to hundreds of thousands of people across the UK and play a key role in the labour market and wider economy.

“We welcome the creation of a single enforcement body and believe that this will bring some much needed clarity to enforcement across different aspects of employment law. It is important that the Government works in partnership with businesses, including convenience retailers, providing clear guidance, support and intelligence-led enforcement activity.”

The full announcement is available here. ACS’ submission on establishing a single enforcement body for employment rights is available here.