All 1 Liz Twist contributions to the Vagrancy (Repeal) Bill 2017-19

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Wed 7th Feb 2018
Taylor Review
Commons Chamber
(Urgent Question)
1st reading: House of Commons

Taylor Review

Liz Twist Excerpts
1st reading: House of Commons
Wednesday 7th February 2018

(6 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Vagrancy (Repeal) Bill 2017-19 Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts

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Andrew Griffiths Portrait Andrew Griffiths
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I do have a long memory. I have a memory of the recession brought on by the previous Government, and I have a memory of the millions of people unemployed as a result of their policies. We are talking about memory, but the hon. Gentleman seems to forget that today we have one of the most dynamic economies in the world, record employment, record low unemployment, a minimum national living wage of £7.50 that was introduced by this Government, record numbers of women in work and an economy that is the envy of many.

Liz Twist Portrait Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)
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The general secretary of the TUC, Frances O’Grady, has said that these measures will do nothing to tackle the problem of what she describes as

“the hire and fire culture of zero-hours contracts or sham self-employment.”

I know my constituents in Blaydon, many of whom work in the gig economy, will be disappointed that the Government have not taken a more dynamic and firm approach in tackling such basic rights and are putting this out for a further period of consultation.

Andrew Griffiths Portrait Andrew Griffiths
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I would just remind the hon. Lady that if she actually reads the report, she will see that we are asking the Low Pay Commission to consider higher minimum wages for workers on zero-hours contracts—