Employment Law

Baroness Turner of Camden Excerpts

Monday 21st May 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, the Government remain committed to the coalition commitment to introduce a system of shared parenting by 2015, and we are of the view that it will bring benefits to businesses. We have always said that we would introduce it from 2015 and we will shortly be publishing the government response, outlining the next steps. It is not something that we are rushing into. At the forefront of our minds is getting this right so that it does not impose additional burdens or costs on businesses.

[Baroness Turner of Camden]

My Lords, I am sure that the Minister will not be surprised to learn that many of us feel that the introduction of what one might call a “hire and fire society” is not likely to help either the economy or future productivity. Many workers, even in small businesses, will lose any sense of security, and that is surely very damaging for any workforce. Therefore, I hope that the Government will seriously reconsider this departure from existing practice. With regard to the Government’s point that it may involve more employment opportunities for people in small firms, one has to recollect that small firms are mostly low-paying employers, which the taxpayer already subsidises. To some extent, the welfare system, including the welfare reforms that the Government are introducing, already subsidises low-paying employers, so why do they need any extra so-called assistance? I do not think that it is assistance at all. It will simply undermine a workforce’s sense of security and that will not help the economy or, indeed, future workplace relations. Therefore, I hope that the Government will seriously reconsider their proposal.

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I say to the noble Baroness, Lady Turner, that, although we will not go so far as to reconsider the whole thing, in the consultation we are taking account of comments such as the one she has made.