Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 23 Jul 2025 Jobs Market
"My Lords, what assessment have the Government made of how far the increase in employers’ NICs in April 2025 led to a further switch-out of regular employment into contract work or self-employment as a means of employers avoiding employers’ NICs? There is some evidence that this has been happening, and …..." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"My Lords, the Minister is quite right to talk about the success of automatic enrolment but, as she touched on, the pension contributions of the self-employed raise alarm. Could the Government think of ways of increasing this, perhaps using the tax return process as an opportunity to get self-employed people …..." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"I thank the noble Lord. With speakers in the gap, you never know quite where you are.
My Lords, first of all, it is a great pleasure to welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Shawcross-Wolfson, and to compliment her on her maiden speech, as well as to compliment the noble Baroness, …..." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"From these Benches, all I can say is that I echo those words. I hope that the Government have listened to the arguments about AI and will respond positively...." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"My Lords, the incredible thing about this amendment is that it has signatures and support from the Conservative Benches, the Labour Benches, the Liberal Democrat Benches and the Cross Benches. It is something the Government should take into account. It is not some weird idea from one part of this …..." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"My Lords, currently only a fully certified trade union representative or a colleague has the statutory right to accompany an employee to a hearing. In practice, this leaves the vast majority of workers in the UK—77.7%—to navigate proceedings alone or, worse, to be accompanied by an inappropriate companion, who may …..." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"My Lords, we have had some very interesting comments here from various people. I remind noble Lords that all we are saying is that people should have a choice. They could have a trade union representative, fine, but 77.7% of people are in firms that do not have a trade …..." Lord Palmer of Childs Hill - View Speech
"My Lords, I have signed this amendment in support of the noble Baroness, Lady Penn. I will not add to what many noble Lords have said, but I want to deal with one point.