Contributions
923 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Environment BillProspect the union has written to me expressing its concern that only 100 staff will be employed by the Office for Environmental Protection. Does the shadow Minister share my…26 Feb 2020HANSARD Social CareDoes my hon. Friend agree that far too many essential careworkers are employed on zero-hours contracts, which we really need to see kicked into history?25 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI beg to move, That this House has considered protection of retail workers. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Gary. The simple reason for calling this debate…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI agree, and I will come on to the progressive work that some of the hon. Gentleman’s Scottish comrades are doing elsewhere. Working every day in a situation where they were…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI agree, and I will come to that. The consistent threat faced by retail workers is despite the fact that retailers spent nearly £1 billion on crime prevention last year alone. The…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI agree. Community policing is a vital resource. Following up crimes with prosecutions, and deterrents such as CCTV, are powerful and pertinent.11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI agree wholeheartedly; trade union membership should be encouraged. Trade unions work in partnership with organisations such as the British Retail Consortium and the Co-op, as…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI concur wholeheartedly. Anyone who is assaulted deserves to be protected by the law, but it is clear that retail workers face a particular threat. What is more, despite ample…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI agree. I thank my hon. Friend for the ten-minute rule Bill he introduced recently, which addresses this very issue. USDAW has found that 25% of incidents of people assaulting or…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI agree. Certainly, lone working should not occur in such situations. We need responsible employers to ensure that that does not happen. Staff who fear for their safety and do not…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI do, and I thank my hon. Friend for his powerful contribution. I know that the Minister will point to the call for evidence that closed in June last year as a sign that the…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI certainly will. In my short time in Parliament—two and a half years and two general elections—I have had the pleasure of meeting representatives of the British Retail Consortium.11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionAction is the key word—definitely. Some quick maths tells us that, in the 228 days since the call for evidence, 91,200 more workers have been assaulted. Will the Minister be clear…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Retail Workers: ProtectionI thank all hon. Members for their contributions, including the Front-Bench spokespeople, and I thank the Minister for his quite detailed response. This is an important…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityMy hon. Friend is totally correct. It is not sensible at all. The devastating repercussions of 10 years of Tory austerity and the impacts of the benefit freeze will remain for a…10 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityMy hon. Friend makes a very valid and powerful point. For too many of our citizens, there is no such security. The responsibility for this situation lies firmly at the door of the…10 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityThis uprating order will increase a range of social security entitlements and pensions. As a result of the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, most working-age benefits…10 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityI agree with my hon. Friend, and I will come on to that later in my speech.10 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityUnfortunately, the Labour party is not in government, but I will say to the hon. Gentleman that the cuts have amounted to £4.7 billion per year, so the so-called investment that…10 Feb 2020HANSARD Social SecurityI do agree with my hon. Friend. Social security has become a vehicle for cuts and children have borne the brunt, with over 4 million now in poverty. The 75p per week for the first…10 Feb 2020