Taylor Review: Working Practices

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 11th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Margot James]

I am afraid I will have to write to my right hon. Friend with that answer.

[Mr Speaker]

Put a copy in the Library; I am sure it will be of educational value to all of us.

[Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)]

Matthew Taylor writes in his report:

“We must equip our children and young people to enter the labour market successfully, but Government, employers and individuals also need to make sure everyone is best placed to thrive throughout what might be a working life spanning 50 years or more.”

How do the Government square that with the previous Prime Minister’s policy of stopping compulsory work experience in schools, which in its first year led to a drop of 60,000 work experience placements in our schools across the country? Will she look at that again?

--- Later in debate ---

[Margot James]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. For those new Members of the House who are not aware of the musical distinction of the hon. Member for Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan), I can inform them that he is an illustrious member of the parliamentary rock band, MP4. If colleagues have not yet heard the band, they have not fully lived. I hope that they will hear the band in due course, preferably in Speaker’s House, where it has played before and will play again.

[Margot James]

The hon. Gentleman refers to the term “dependent contractor”. This recommendation was designed to improve clarity and to increase the chances of workers getting the rights to which they are entitled, but it is just that: a recommendation. He is free to lobby against our acceptance of it during the course of our consultation.