Summary

  • Fast fashion giant Shein is showing "wilful ignorance" by struggling to answer questions about its supply-chain, one MP says

  • McDonald's and other major businesses are giving evidence about work practices as the government prepares a major shake-up of workers' rights

  • During an earlier session, Tesco and McDonald's said "criminal gangs" were behind the recruitment of alleged modern slavery victims

  • The firms were facing questions over a BBC report that found signs of forced labour in the UK had been missed for years

  • Responding to a separate BBC investigation - which found McDonald's workers are still facing sexual abuse and harassment - Alistair Macrow said the claims are "abhorrent"

UK McDonald's boss questioned on BBC reporting of sexual harassment claims

Live Reporting

Edited by Jacqueline Howard and Tinshui Yeung

  1. Hearing begins for today

    Today's session in the Commons has begun.

    We will first hear from Alistair Macrow, chief executive of McDonald's UK and Ireland.

    He will be questioned about the fast-food chain's record on labour rights.

    We'll bring you live coverage as the hearing progresses, or you can watch by clicking the Watch live button at the top of the page.

  2. Bosses could be questioned about slavery

    Another topic that is likely to be raised during today's hearing is modern slavery, and what the companies are doing to prevent the illegal practice within their supply chains.

    Modern slavery is the illegal exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain where victims are forced into work for little or no pay.

    Both Shein and Temu have faced allegations of endorsing inadequate working conditions in factories manufacturing products for their platforms.

    Last August, Shein confirmed it had found evidence of two cases of child labour in its supply chain. It said the cases “were resolved swiftly, with remediation steps”.

    Temu previously said it "strictly prohibits" the use of forced, penal, or child labour.

    And in September, a BBC investigation found signs that modern slavery victims were being forced to work at a McDonald’s branch and a company supplying bread products to major supermarkets were missed for years.

    McDonald said it cares “deeply” about all employees and promised that - working with franchisees - it would “play our part alongside government, NGOs [Non-governmental organisations] and wider society to help combat the evils of modern slavery”.

  3. Tesco director to be questioned months after fire-and-rehire case loss

    A general view of a Tesco store in London. In the foreground, is a board with the Tesco logo (white background, Tesco in red lettering, underline by blue dotted line) with underneath green bushes. In the background is a superstore marked Tesco both at the main entrance and to the sideGetty Images

    As we mentioned, Tesco's Claire Lorains will give evidence less than six months after the supermarket giant lost a Supreme Court battle against a shop workers' union over so-called "fire and rehire" plans.

    Under Labour's new Employment Rights Bill, the practice would effectively be banned - with companies only able to use it if facing the risk of becoming insolvent.

    The Usdaw union took legal action against Tesco in 2021 after the supermarket proposed firing staff at some distribution centres and rehiring them on lower pay.

    Fire and rehire picked up pace during the coronavirus pandemic when a number of big businesses tried to dismiss workers and hire them back on worse deals.

  4. A timeline of McDonald's abuse claims

    Noor Nanji
    Business reporter

    McDonald's UK boss Alistair Macrow is expected to face questions about claims staff have made about facing sexual abuse and harassment at work.

    Here's a reminder of how the story has developed:

    • July 2023 - the BBC publishes an investigation into working conditions at McDonald's. More than 100 staff tell us they experienced harassment, bullying and abuse
    • As a result of the BBC's findings, the company’s UK boss is summoned to Parliament to answer questions
    • November 2023 - Alistair Macrow tells MPs the company is taking action to clean up behaviour at the fast food chain
    • January 2025 - The BBC publishes new claims from McDonald's workers who say they are still facing sexual abuse and harassment, a year later
    • The equality watchdog is again forced to intervene
    • McDonald's responds to the new claims, saying it has undertaken "extensive work" over the past year to improve safeguarding, awareness and training

  5. McDonald's boss facing MPs again

    McDonalds CEO Alistair Macrow in black suit, white tie and patterned tie sits at wooden table while giving evidence to the Commons Business Committee. Behind him, to his left, is a man in a black suit, large watch on his right wrist and a black wristband on his left wrist; a woman in glasses looking to a phone (reflection visible in the glasses)UK Parliament

    Alistair Macrow told MPs in 2023 that testimony from former McDonald's staff had been "truly horrific"

    McDonald's UK and Ireland CEO Alistair Macrow already appeared in front of the business and trade committee in November 2023 after a BBC report on claims of sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying by dozens of workers at the fast-food chain.

    The BBC was told that workers, some as young as 17, were being groped and harassed almost routinely.

    During his last appearance in front of MPs, Macrow admitted McDonald's UK was receiving between one or two sexual harassment claims a week following the BBC investigation.

    He described the testimony of former employees as "truly horrific" and "very difficult to hear".

  6. Analysis

    Zero-hours contracts likely to be an important line of questioning

    Zoe Conway
    Employment correspondent

    This morning, the chair of the committee, Liam Byrne MP, accused McDonald’s of a "wholesale misuse" of zero-hour contracts. Safe to say, then, that this will be a significant line of questioning.

    The contracts are central to McDonald’s business model - 89% of their young workforce are on one.

    The company says its workers like the flexibility the contract offers and that they choose to be on them, as fixed-hours contracts are also offered to all employees.

    But 50 current and recent McDonald’s employees from across the country spoke to the BBC about their negative experience of zero-hours contacts.

    Many said it created an imbalance of power.

    A former senior manager says he was instructed by the franchise he worked for to use them to discipline his staff. A current worker told us the contracts create a "feudal" culture where people beg for shifts.

    However, several workers told the BBC the contracts suit them.

    Parliament is right now debating what to do about this issue as the government wants to ban "exploitative" zero-hour contracts.

  7. What changes with new Employment Rights Bill?

    A man and a woman in white helmets and factory gear consult a tablet in the woman's hands while two other workers observe steel pour at the back. They all are on the main factory floor of a steelwork factoryGetty Images

    MPs on the committee will examine today how Labour’s Employment Rights Bill will affect the companies’ business operations.

    Here's a quick summary of what the new legislation entails:

    • Statutory sick pay (SSP): Workers will be entitled to SSP, from the first day they are ill rather than the fourth
    • Unfair dismissal: The bill means workers will get to claim unfair dismissal against their employer from day one
    • Zero-hour contracts: Employers will be required to offer a guaranteed-hours contract based on the hours workers clock up during a 12-week period.
    • Fire and rehire: The new bill effectively bans the practice but a company could still use it if it is at risk of becoming insolvent
    • Lower earnings limit for SSP: Currently, workers earning less than £123 per week cannot claim SSP. This limit will be removed but the bill will set out a lesser level of sick pay for lower earners
    • Paternity leave: Fathers or partners to be eligible from day one of employment, instead of 26 weeks
    • Unpaid parental leave: Parents to be eligible from day one of employment, instead of one year
    • Unpaid bereavement leave: To become a "day one" right for workers
    • Flexible working: Bosses will be expected to consider any flexible working requests made from day one, and say yes unless they can prove it is unreasonable. There are eight grounds they could give for refusing a request, relating to impact on the business

  8. Who's leading the questioning today?

    Close up shot of Labour MP Liam Byrne, cutting off just below the neck. He's wearing thin-rimmed black glasses, a dark blue suit jacket and a red polka-dotted tie. Photo is of the right side of his face as he looks straight ahead while speaking, in the background is a red wall with white accentsPA Media

    Leading today’s questioning is Labour MP Liam Byrne, formerly chief secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown.

    In 2010, Byrne famously left a note to his successor, Lib Dems' David Laws, saying: "Dear Chief Secretary, I'm afraid that there is no money. Kind regards and good luck."

    The message was pounced on by the Conservatives, who repeatedly used it to attack Labour's handling of the economy.

    Three years later, Byrne told BBC HARDTalk that, in retrospect, leaving the note had been a mistake but it was an old Treasury tradition going back to the 1930s.

  9. Who's giving evidence today and when?

    Today's evidence session will be divided into three parts:

    In the first hearing, McDonald's UK and Ireland CEO Alistair Macrow will be giving evidence to the Business and Trade committee from 14:30 GMT.

    He'll be joined by Tesco's group quality, technical and sustainability director Claire Lorains and the director of food and sustainability at The British Retail Consortium, Andrew Opie.

    The second session kicks off at 15:30 GMT with Shein's general counsel Yinan Zhu and Temu's senior legal counsel and senior compliance manager, Stephen Heary and Leonard Klenner.

    Closing off the session from 16:30 GMT will be UK independent anti-slavery commissioner Eleanor Lyons and the director of labour market enforcement at the Department for Business and Trade, Margaret Beels.

  10. McDonald's boss to be quizzed on working conditions and abuse claims

    Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of business leaders being questioned by MPs about labour standards in their companies.

    The Commons Business and Trade Committee will hear from McDonald's UK and Ireland CEO Alistair Macrow, who will be asked about the fast-food chain’s record on zero-hour contracts and labour rights.

    We’ll also hear from Tesco's Claire Lorains and The British Retail Consortium’s Andrew Opie, as well as representatives from global online retailers Shein and Temu.

    Lorains will appear less than six months after Tesco lost a Supreme Court case over so-called "fire and rehire plans".

    Shein and Temu have repeatedly faced allegations of endorsing inadequate working conditions at China-based factories.

    Stay with us for updates from the session, which begins at 14:30 GMT.