Workers’ Rights Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Randall of Uxbridge
Main Page: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Randall of Uxbridge's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(3 years, 7 months ago)
Lords ChamberI am sure the noble Lord is well aware that I cannot speculate on tax changes. They are a matter for the Chancellor. I would get myself into serious bother if I tried to pre-empt what he might decide to do.
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that, in many areas, the United Kingdom goes further than the European Union on workers’ protections?
Indeed, my noble friend is correct. Our equalities legislation and our maternity and paternity entitlements are already much better than minimum EU standards. In the UK you get over five weeks’ annual leave minimum; the EU requires only four weeks. I do not understand the Opposition’s obsession with wanting to downgrade our standards to those of the EU.