Motion
Moved by
That the Bill do now pass.
(Lab)
My Lords, I thank all those involved in getting the Bill to this
stage. I particularly thank for steering it through
its various stages in the other House; the Bill team, which has
been so supportive; and, of course, the Minister and my noble
friend .
The successful passage of the Bill will create a new right for
workers to request a more predictable working pattern. It will
address the unfair imbalance of power that exists between some
employers and workers in atypical work, such as workers on
zero-hours contracts and temporary workers. Workers will be
empowered and encouraged to talk to their employers about their
working patterns, safe in the knowledge that starting this
conversation will not result in any detriment to the worker. It
will give workers additional predictability and security of both
hours and income, at a time when many workers with unpredictable
or varying levels of income—as well as many others—are struggling
with the rising cost of living. Workers will be better able to
secure employment that suits their individual circumstances,
helping them to feel more satisfied at work.
The Bill does not mean that our work is done in securing
employment rights for those who need it most, but it is a crucial
step on that journey. I am grateful for all the support for the
Bill from all sides of the House. I beg to move.
(Lab)
My Lords, it is a great pleasure to support this Bill at its
final stage. I particularly thank my noble friend Lady Anderson
for taking the Bill through the various stages of the process. Of
course, I also thank the Conservative MP Scott Benton for his
willingness to work collaboratively to achieve this laudable
objective. The passage of the Bill is an excellent reminder that
good outcomes can be achieved even in politically and
economically turbulent times. I am sure that many of us in this
House will agree that when workers are treated with dignity,
higher levels of well-being can lead to a range of benefits to
businesses, especially around productivity, which will frequently
be of more benefit to the employers than can be measured in wage
costs. We fully support the Bill, which brings us one step closer
to the protection of workers, and I look forward to seeing it
passed in this House.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Business and Trade and Scotland Office () (Con)
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Anderson, for bringing
the Bill through this House and I am delighted to confirm the
Government’s ongoing support for the Bill, which will fulfil our
2019 manifesto commitment to introduce a right for workers to
request a more predictable working pattern. The Bill will allow
workers to request more predictable working arrangements,
addressing the issue of one-sided flexibility while ensuring that
workers can continue working on a zero-hours contract, another
form of non-guaranteed hours contract or, indeed, a temporary
contract, if that is the type of contract that suits them. This
will allow individuals and businesses to strike the right balance
between flexibility and predictability.
This new right will function in a similar way to the existing
right to request flexible working. An employer will be able to
refuse a request for a more predictable working pattern based on
one of six statutory grounds similar to those established for the
right to request flexible working. These grounds build in vital
flexibility for businesses, ensuring that they are not unfairly
burdened by accepting requests that would, for example, generate
burdensome additional costs.
In conclusion, I am delighted to see the Bill progress, and I
thank the noble Baroness, Lady Anderson, for sponsoring the Bill
as it moves through this House and my honourable friend for sponsoring it through
the other place.
3.37pm
Bill passed.
