Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill
Debate between Chuka Umunna and Ann McKechin
Ann McKechin (Glasgow North) (Lab)
Does my hon. Friend agree that the green investment bank must not be a bank of last resort that simply takes the projects that no one else is prepared to take, but must drive investment forward, taking the private sector with it, particularly in areas such as offshore wind, tidal power and carbon capture, which we have plenty of opportunity to develop further?
Mr Umunna
I could not agree more. The Government have committed to additionality and we will look to ensure that that occurs.
Part 2 of the Bill relates to employment law, which has attracted much public concern. As I have said before, we are not in a double-dip recession because of the rights that people in this country enjoy at work. No amount of sabre rattling and nonsense from Government Members about the need to allow employers to fire employees at will is going to get us out of recession. That is a simple fact. We are in a double-dip recession because of a lack of demand. Watering down employee rights will not boost demand. In fact, it is highly likely—