As part of the Government’s drive to make Britain the best place in Europe to innovate and start a new business, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is seeking views on whether non-compete clauses stifle entrepreneurship and innovation by preventing people from:
- moving between employers;
- developing innovative ideas;
- creating a start-up; and
- growing a business.
Specifically, the questions being asked are designed to give a full understanding of the current situation, from the point of view of employers and employees, as regards when non-compete clauses are used, their prevalence and the benefits or disadvantages associated with them.
The closing date for responses is 19 July 2016. The consultation document can be found here.