Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to end the use of zero hour contracts.

Both the Government and independent research have identified that zero hours contracts are beneficial for the labour market as they allow flexibility for both employers and individuals. The latest figures show that only 2.4% of the UK’s workforce are on a zero hours contracts because, for that small proportion, that may be the right contract for them.

In the Review of Modern Working Practices, Matthew Taylor said that banning zero hours contracts altogether “would negatively impact many more people than it helped". We agree with his assessment and have committed to bring forward legislation to introduce the right to request a more predictable and stable contract for all workers, including those on zero hours contracts. This will allow individuals and businesses to strike the right balance between flexibility and job security.