Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jo Swinson and Glenda Jackson

Thursday 5th September 2013 Commons Chamber

[Glenda Jackson (Hampstead and Kilburn) (Lab)]

I entirely agree with the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes) on part-time working, which makes things particularly difficult for women, but will the Minister also look at the problem of zero-hours contracts, which have a desperately difficult impact on women?

[Jo Swinson]

The hon. Lady will be glad to know that the Government are looking at zero-hours contracts. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, in which I am also a Minister, undertook an information-gathering exercise over the summer. We are looking closely at what can be done to prevent the abuse of zero-hours contracts where it exists.