Contributions
184 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for setting out the difference. The difference is the “all reasonable steps” test. If an employer harasses someone in the workplace, there is no “all…10 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Tenth sitting)The Minister will answer about what the Government are doing on impact assessments, but the impact on small businesses is that they have to think a little bit about harassment in…10 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Tenth sitting)I start by aligning myself with the very good arguments that my hon. Friend the Member for High Peak made from his professional experience. I saw many of the same circumstances in…10 Dec 2024HANSARDFireworks: Sale and UseIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore) for presenting this important debate on behalf of the…09 Dec 2024HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) BillWill the hon. and learned Member give way?06 Dec 2024HANSARDPrayersI beg to move, That the House sit in private. Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163) .06 Dec 2024HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) BillMembers on the Opposition Benches have talked a lot about cross-community support. The hon. and learned Member for North Antrim (Jim Allister) mentioned a lack of consultation. Is…06 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighth sitting)Will the shadow Minister give way on that point?05 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighth sitting)Sadly, I am not very funny. Would M’s HR adviser not say, “That might have a detrimental impact on your performance, Mr Bond”? That flexible working request could therefore be…05 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighth sitting)I will return briefly to a couple of the shadow Minister’s comments. I take some quantum of solace in the fact that he now seems to be accepting the principle of consultation.…05 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighth sitting)The “cake and eat it” argument is the point I was trying to make. I advised on flexible working requests regularly when in private practice, where individuals and, in particular,…05 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Seventh sitting)I refer the Committee to my membership of the GMB and Community unions. We had a lot of back and forth on this point on Tuesday. I want to clarify what the shadow Minister said on…05 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I want to refer to a couple of the comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Northfield. I…05 Dec 2024HANSARDEngagementsQ11. Hollie Gazzard was murdered by her boyfriend outside her workplace in Gloucester 10 years ago. Since then, her family have established the Hollie Gazzard Trust, which…04 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Sixth sitting)I understand the hon. Gentleman’s point about uncertainty in certain industries meaning that businesses may not be able to guarantee shifts. I want to ask two questions. First,…03 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Fifth sitting)I refer the Committee to my membership of GMB and Community, and to my former membership of the Employment Lawyers Association. I am somewhat confused by the shadow Minister’s…03 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Fifth sitting)My experience in business goes way back. My parents ran a small business and, although I would not say I was a worker at it, I helped out from the age of nine. I got my first job…03 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Fifth sitting)Well, the individual would be able to raise a grievance, but discrimination requires it to be related to a protected characteristic, and there is no protected characteristic…03 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Fifth sitting)If we are looking at the numbers, I am glad that somebody on the Opposition Benches is finally acknowledging that we have massively increased employment allowance, taking many…03 Dec 2024HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Fifth sitting)Does the hon. Member not agree that most businesses in hospitality know their seasons very well? They come every year and they tend to operate on a relatively regular basis—that…03 Dec 2024