Member

For these reasons, I support the amendments. In view of the fact that employers’ contributions not only continue but have, in a retrograde manner, been increased considerably under the NIC Act, which went through this House earlier this year, and increased disproportionately, with the damage already seen to the labour market, which we continue to hear about in the Committee, and with businesses being more reluctant to employ the very people we need to employ, I suggest it is fair and proportionate that there should be a rebate, as proposed in the modest amendment from my noble friend and the more ambitious one from the noble Lord, Lord Fox.