Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Janet Daby and Greg Clark

Tuesday 8th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

14. What steps he is taking to support people in insecure work.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark)]

The Government’s good work plan represents the largest reform to employment rules in over 20 years. It includes measures to boost transparency and tackle one-sided flexibility for those in insecure work, and I have already tabled legislation in Parliament to take forward the programme.

[Greg Clark]

The hon. Gentleman will welcome the reforms that have been made to deal with insecure work and, in particular, to do something that has been campaigned for by the trade union movement and supported by many employers, which is to remove the Swedish derogation that has provided a loophole for employers to avoid those rights. That legislation is now before the House, and I hope he will support it.

[Janet Daby]

Does the Secretary of State agree that the recently introduced right to request guaranteed working hours is not sufficient to protect workers on zero-hours contracts?