Member

I struggle to see why the Government would not accept this amendment. The Government are going to have to give us this number at some point; why not now? There are three powerful reasons why they should. First, the uncertainty the Bill creates will in itself be unproductive. We cannot plan in a vacuum. Secondly, failure to give any indication on the definition of low-hours contracts sends a very powerful message to business to prepare for the worst, and that preparation will not be pretty. If the Government are planning to set a number at a manageable level, then please tell us as soon as possible. Finally and most importantly, the definition of low-hours contracts is not a minor, technical detail to be sorted out later in secondary legislation; it is fundamental to the scope, impact and nature of this legislation and the numbers of people it will affect. By leaving this crucial definition to secondary legislation, Parliament is being asked to approve potentially far-reaching changes to our labour market without proper debate, scrutiny and parliamentary consent. That is not how good law is made.