Ian Murray
Main Page: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)(12 years, 9 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Vince Cable
My hon. Friend’s basic premise is correct. I am sure that he has read the recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which said that Britain has the second most flexible labour market in the OECD, and that is what we want to retain.
Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)
First, I congratulate the new Minister for employment law, the Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb). I am disappointed that he is not answering this question, but let me put it on record that he has been courteous and constructive in his role so far, and I wish him at least a modicum of success. [Interruption.] That is as far as my generosity goes, I am afraid.
With no plan for growth and consumer confidence at its lowest in decades, the Government are trying to make it easier to fire, rather than hire, people. There is an ongoing pitched battle between the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Downing street, with the Secretary of State being dragged kicking and screaming to a no-fault dismissal consultation on which, indeed, a written statement was issued only 10 minutes ago. The new Minister said in October:
“I think it would be madness to throw away all employment protection in the way that’s proposed, and it could be very damaging to consumer confidence”,
and suggested that it was crazy. Does the Secretary of State agree with his new Minister?
Vince Cable
The interesting thing about this controversy is that we are being attacked with such vehemence from the left and the right, which suggests that we are just about in the right place.