Women and the Cost of Living

Debate between Alison McGovern and Gloria De Piero

Tuesday 19th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Gloria De Piero]

The hon. Lady has already intervened, and I want to allow others to speak.

Since the election there are 578 fewer Sure Start centres and 35,000 fewer child care places, and the number of breakfast and after-school clubs has been cut in more than a third of local authority areas. As for the women who have found work, it is the sort of work that leaves many families struggling to pay the bills. A record number of women are in part-time, temporary and low-wage jobs. One in four earns less than the living wage, as opposed to one in six men. The Government are wasting women’s talent, and costing the economy too. Where is their commitment to make work pay? On our first day in office, the next Labour Government will offer employers throughout Britain a “make work pay” contract to help them to pay the living wage.

[Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab)]

Does my hon. Friend share my concern about the number of women in the care sector who are on zero-hours contracts? The Government have told me that it is 300,000. Is my hon. Friend concerned about all those women with insecure levels of income?

[Gloria De Piero]

Absolutely. That is why we have pledged to tackle the abuse of zero-hours contracts. Flouting of the minimum wage is also a particular problem in the care sector.