Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill

Debate between Mark Eastwood and James Daly

3rd reading
Friday 24th February 2023 Commons Chamber

[James Daly (Bury North) (Con)]

I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests: I am a practising solicitor and a partner in a firm of solicitors, which may be relevant to some of the comments I make.

I remember those halcyon days when the hon. Member for Bolton South East (Yasmin Qureshi) and I were in Bury magistrates court together. I tended to be defending the cases, and she tended to be prosecuting. How time goes by, because that is well over 10 years ago now. One of the things I have always known about her is that everything she does, as she has in the Bill she has put before the House and in the speech she made today, comes from a desire to change things for the better, and I congratulate her on that.

The reason I support the Bill—and I think any employer must accept the deficiencies within the system we have at the moment—is that, since before coming into this House, I have had an interest in young people on the autistic spectrum. One of the great scandals, apart from generally the support and treatment for young people who have conditions and challenges in their life, is lack of access to the labour market. Certainly, people on the autistic spectrum, who have so much to offer, not only have challenges getting into the labour market, but in many cases will need flexible working to be able to contribute by working.

[Mark Eastwood (Dewsbury) (Con)]

My hon. Friend mentioned young people with autism and employment opportunities. Would he agree with me that, before employment, there needs to be a significant improvement in educational standards from primary right through to secondary?

[James Daly]

Absolutely; that is clearly correct. We have to recognise that there are individuals in our country who are being excluded from the labour market, and ways have to be found to ensure that they have an equal opportunity.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mark Eastwood and James Daly

Tuesday 23rd March 2021 Commons Chamber

[James Daly (Bury North) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Mark Eastwood (Dewsbury) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses during the covid-19 pandemic.