Last week the Government opened the process for “e-Petitions” allowing everyone to raise issues to the Government. Sussex MPs continue their work in Parliament including the current plan for the final Friday in November when the “Football (Gender Inequality) Bill: Second Reading” raised by James MacCleary, the Lewes Liberal Democrat MP (can be seen here).

Since July, MPs have participated in “Divisions” the formal name given to voting by Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. The House literally divides, with members choosing to file through one of two lobbies on either side of the Chamber where they are counted and their names recorded. Twenty-seven voting opportunities have been presented but the Labour Government rejected twenty-two of them. The five that are to be debated are listed as; The draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024; Passenger Railway Services Bill (Public Ownership) Bill: Second Reading; Great British Energy Bill: Second Reading; Employment Rights Bill: Second Reading; Great British Energy Bill: Third Reading. Labour and Green MPs endorsed the Bills but the Conservatives rejected all five and the DUP’s rejected three of them.

The “Employment Rights Bill: Second Reading” (can be seen here) included responses from most Sussex MPs with several discussions taking place before voting. Alison Bennett Liberal Democrat MP spoke at length calling for care workers pay to be increased by £2 per hour

“the Liberal Democrats welcome the fair pay proposals in this Bill, but we would like the Bill to go further”

“We would also like to build the esteem and career path of people who work in paid care—for example, by establishing a royal college of carers. Without that, we have a blocker to our workforce productivity. Caring and working must go hand in hand, but because regulations do not enable unpaid carers to look after their loved ones adequately, 600 people a day give up work to care for a loved one. One of those people is Amanda, who used to live in Mid Sussex. She and her husband Nick look after their 21-year-old son Archie, who is autistic and learning disabled. Amanda is a modern foreign languages teacher, and there is a shortage of such teachers. As Archie was approaching adulthood, they realised that West Sussex County council would not be able to provide enough care for him, so the best thing that she could do was take her teacher’s pension early and claim the carer’s allowance. Because of the £151 a week limit on earnings for those on the carer’s allowance, Amanda is now excluded from the workforce. She cannot take up offers of supply teaching or exam invigilating that would boost the family income and be good for her mental health. We need to ensure that people can give care while being in the workforce, because this situation is not good for the nation’s productivity, or for the Government’s ambition to deliver growth.”

Alison Griffiths for Conservatives

“I rise today to express my concerns about the impact of the Employment Rights Bill on one of the most vulnerable groups in our workforce: seasonal workers. Those individuals form the backbone of key sectors such as tourism, agriculture and retail, particularly in my constituency of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, where many depend on seasonal jobs for their livelihoods. I fear that the Bill will put their livelihoods at risk, as well as the viability of the businesses that employ them”

“Labour claims that the Bill will protect workers, but for seasonal employees the increased regulation will likely have the opposite effect. Small and medium-sized businesses that rely on flexible, short-term contracts to meet seasonal demand will face rising costs and greater bureaucracy when trying to bring on staff. Clause 1 on the right to guaranteed hours is so laissez-faire about how that will be implemented in a real-world business environment that it leaves significant ambiguity and doubt in employers’ minds”

Graham Stuart the Conservative MP, Beverley and Holderness (Yorkshire) responded during the discussion requesting more detail from the Minister, Angela Rayner. Alison Griffiths further responded

“detail is precisely what is needed for the Bill to be implemented effectively. In my constituency, seasonal employers such as theme parks are at the mercy of the British weather and a short season. On a rainy-day taking will be minimal, and managing costs accordingly is vital to remain viable. Moreover, the student and retired populations in my constituency value the flexibility that those contracts offer. The Bill will disincentivise employers from offering short-term opportunities and reduce employment options for those who depend on temporary work”

Rebecca Harris, Conservative, MP Castle Point, Essex commented

“that young people often get their first step on the job ladder through those jobs? They may well not get that opportunity if the legislation is passed”

Alison Griffiths continued

“Disincentivising employers from offering short-term opportunities will reduce those employment options. About 1 million people aged 16 and over reported being employed on a zero-hours contract between April and June 2024. On average, those workers worked fewer hours per week than others, and 60% said that they did not even want more hours. In the hospitality sector, 90% say that it is their desired contract. In conclusion, we must ensure that protecting workers’ rights does not come at the cost of the jobs they rely on. I urge the House to carefully consider the consequences and to amend the Bill to safeguard opportunities for seasonal workers”