Liz Jarvis

The hospitality industry in Eastleigh contributes £113 million every year, generates £56 million in economic value, employs 1,805 people and sustains 84 pubs, cafés, restaurants and hotels. My constituent Lorraine, the landlady of the Master Builder pub in West End, saw her wage bill rise by £1,500 compared with the same month last year despite having no extra staff. She now works 70 hours a week, earning the equivalent of £5 an hour, and in the past two years she has had just five days off. Jane is the manager of the Holiday Inn in Eastleigh, a popular base for those wishing to watch cricket at the Utilita Bowl and for families wanting to explore Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park nearby. She tells me that they have been unable to fill vacancies because of the increased payroll burden from national insurance hikes. David, the owner of Steam Town Brew Co, tells me that for a part-time member of staff doing just 10 hours a week, costs have risen by more than 9% year on year. For small breweries such as his, these increases make it harder to keep staff on, to recruit and to invest in local jobs. Does the Minister acknowledge that the changes to employer national insurance contributions act as a disincentive for small, labour-intensive businesses—