Women and the Cost of Living

Debate between Gloria De Piero and Emily Thornberry

Tuesday 19th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Gloria De Piero]

Absolutely. That is why we have pledged to tackle the abuse of zero-hours contracts. Flouting of the minimum wage is also a particular problem in the care sector.

[Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) (Lab)]

My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech, and I congratulate her on it.

A high proportion of children who live in poverty in my constituency have unemployed parents, and a high proportion have only one parent. The cheapest full-time nursery place costs more than £160 a week; it takes the vast majority of a weekly minimum wage to pay for that alone, before paying rent. This is the Britain that the Government have given us.

[Gloria De Piero]

I have nothing to add to what my hon. Friend has said. She has put it perfectly.

The next Labour Government will offer a simple deal to employers: 32p off tax on every pound that they spend on paying workers the living wage during our first year in office. Tackling the cost-of-living crisis means taking action to increase wages and keep the benefit bill down.