Question
Time and again, powerful men are abusing women and then trying to silence them. Every woman must be protected, so will Ministers ban the misuse of non-disclosure agreements for harassment and misconduct—for everyone, not just employees?
Answer
We are clear that NDAs must never be used to cover up workplace harassment or discrimination. Reports this week have shown how important that is and the horrific consequences of imbalances of power. The Employment Rights Act 2025 will stop employers using NDAs to silence workers about harassment or discrimination in the workplace, and there is a consultation on going further and analysis of which groups will be included. We are also looking at what we can do about injunctions. I am sure that my hon. Friend the Minister for the Future of Work will be happy to write to her on this issue.17% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (56/100)
The reply answers the first part of the question directly: it says NDAs must never be used to cover up workplace harassment or discrimination and points to the Employment Rights Act 2025 as the mechanism to stop employers silencing workers. The second part, on whether a ban would cover everyone and not just employees, is only partly answered. The reply says a consultation is underway and the analysis of which groups would be included is ongoing, but it makes no commitment on scope and refers the detail to a follow-up letter. A member of the public would have a clear answer on the main point but would likely need to ask again about scope.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government ban the misuse of non-disclosure agreements to conceal harassment and misconduct? | Addressed | Direct | The reply states that NDAs must never be used to cover up workplace harassment or discrimination and names a concrete mechanism, the Employment Rights Act 2025, that will stop employers using NDAs to silence workers, with a consultation on going further. This answers whether the government will act against NDA misuse, though it is framed around workplace harassment and discrimination rather than the broader 'misconduct' in the question. |
| Would any such ban apply to everyone, rather than only to employees? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply says a consultation is underway and that analysis of which groups will be included is ongoing, which engages with scope, but it does not say whether a ban would extend beyond employees to everyone. The referral to the Minister for a follow-up letter leaves the substantive answer on scope unresolved. |