Oral Answers to Questions

Jacob Rees-Mogg Excerpts

Thursday 15th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

Actually, it is proceeding today.

[Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that countries with flexible labour laws have the best growth and those with inflexible labour laws have the highest unemployment; that the more we can do to ease employment by reducing regulation the better; and that this should be done as a matter of urgency, especially in the context of Europe?

[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.