| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
3.42 pm
Mr. Michael Fabricant (Mid-Staffordshire): I oppose the Bill because this country leads Europe in keeping women and young people employed. This Bill is
frightening because what seems to be all reason and light from the Liberal Democrats is merely a recipe for bankruptcy and unemployment. The Liberal Democrats make no secret of their love for a federal Europe. They have said so again today. They would give up our veto. This legislation is just another European tax on jobs.
When Jacques Delors said that Britain's rejection of the social chapter--so beloved of both the Labour and Liberal parties--meant that this country would become an investor's paradise, he was right. Britain attracts well over 40 per cent. of all investment into the European Union from the United States and from Japan, and the remaining 50 per cent. or so is spread thinly among the other 14 EU countries. In the past financial year, 38,876 jobs were created as a direct result of inward investment, and more than 51,000 jobs were safeguarded by inward investment. Since 1992, the United Kingdom has made a stronger recovery from worldwide recession than any other European country. Our economy has grown faster than that of Germany, France, Italy or the EU average. The Bill would jeopardise all that. The social chapter would create unemployment and, through the back door, the Bill is simply part of the social chapter.
The cathedral city of Lichfield is not only a centre of light industry but a tourist centre, but I was born near Brighton and went to school there. That town depends even more than Lichfield on tourism. How many hotels and restaurants that employ part-time workers would fail if this tax on jobs were imposed? I used to work in the electronics industry--how many part-time workers who provide specialist skills would find themselves out of work because small and growing businesses with tight margins could no longer afford to pay this on-cost? Businesses would have to employ extra workers if they were to meet the Bill's requirements. How many students would find it impossible to get work in their vacations? Inflation is now under 3 per cent., but the Bill would cause prices to rise and would damage our recovery.
I believe, as do the Government, that holiday entitlement, like other terms and conditions of employment, should remain a matter of negotiation between employers and employees or employee representatives. It should not be the role of Government to intervene through the statute book; nor should it be the role of Government to stand between a man or woman and his or her job.
It is not by accident that unemployment has been falling month after month for more than two years, while in France, Germany and Spain it continues to soar inexorably. It is not by accident that Britain has more people in work as a proportion of the population than any other major economy in Europe. It is not by accident that this country is enjoying steady and sustainable growth combined with low inflation.
Does the hon. Member for Littleborough and Saddleworth wish to return to the dark days under the previous Labour Government when inflation averaged 15.5 per cent? Despite the ominous plans of the Opposition to fall into line with the socialist-dominated European Parliament, this country remains the enterprise centre of Europe. The Conservative Government made this country the enterprise centre of Europe, and we want to keep it the enterprise centre of Europe.
For the sake of jobs and for the sake of this nation's continuing recovery, I oppose the Bill.
Question put, pursuant to Standing Order No. 19 (Motions for leave to bring in Bills and nomination of Select Committees at commencement of public business):--
The House proceeded to a Division--
Mr. Chris Davies (seated and covered):
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it appropriate for the Labour Whips to instruct Labour Members to abstain because they are not prepared to make a commitment--
Madam Speaker:
Order. I know nothing about any instructions that may have been given--I do not recognise Whips during this period.
The House having divided: Ayes 84, Noes 49.
Tellers for the Ayes:
Tellers for the Noes:
Question accordingly agreed to.
Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Chris Davies,Ms Angela Eagle, Mr. Cynog Dafis, Mr. Don Foster,Mr. David Alton, Mrs. Diana Maddock and Ms Liz Lynne.
Mr. Chris Davies accordingly presented a Bill to provide that employers shall give to their part-time staff either the same holiday entitlements as they do to their full-time staff, or a minimum period as specified: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time upon Friday 10 May and to be printed. [Bill 74.]
Point of Order
Mr. Mike Hall (Warrington, South):
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am sorry to trouble you with this matter, but the Deputy Prime Minister visited my constituency last Friday and I received notice only yesterday that he was to do so, with an apology for the short notice given. Was that not a great discourtesy by the Deputy Prime Minister? The real problem, however, is that he was there to raise funds. I am sure that he was not raising funds on behalf of the Government, but on behalf of the Tory party. Is that not an abuse of the Standing Orders of the House?
Madam Speaker:
If he was there doing anything other than parliamentary business, it has nothing to do with me.
Mr. Jacques Arnold (Gravesham):
Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. You may be interested to know that in the past two years I have had the Leader of the Opposition and the deputy Leader of the Opposition in my wonderful constituency of Gravesham--neither of whom advised me of their visits in advance.
AYES
Ainger, Nick
Alton, David
Anderson, Donald (Swansea E)
Ashdown, Rt Hon Paddy
Ashton, Joe
Barnes, Harry
Benn, Rt Hon Tony
Berry, Roger
Bray, Dr Jeremy
Bruce, Malcolm (Gordon)
Callaghan, Jim
Campbell, Mrs Anne (C'bridge)
Campbell, Ronnie (Blyth V)
Canavan, Dennis
Chidgey, David
Clapham, Michael
Clwyd, Mrs Ann
Cohen, Harry
Corbyn, Jeremy
Corston, Jean
Cunliffe, Lawrence
Cunningham, Roseanna
Dafis, Cynog
Dalyell, Tam
Davies, Chris (L'Boro & S'worth)
Donohoe, Brian H
Eagle, Ms Angela
Eastham, Ken
Etherington, Bill
Ewing, Mrs Margaret
Field, Frank (Birkenhead)
Flynn, Paul
Forsythe, Clifford (S Antrim)
Foulkes, George
Godman, Dr Norman A
Gordon, Mildred
Gunnell, John
Hall, Mike
Hanson, David
Hinchliffe, David
Hoey, Kate
Home Robertson, John
Hood, Jimmy
Hughes, Roy (Newport E)
Hutton, John
Jackson, Helen (Shef'ld, H)
Janner, Greville
Jones, Ieuan Wyn (Ynys Mon)
Jones, Lynne (B'ham S O)
Jones, Nigel (Cheltenham)
Keen, Alan
Kirkwood, Archy
Litherland, Robert
Llwyd, Elfyn
McAvoy, Thomas
McCartney, Robert
Maclennan, Robert
Maddock, Diana
Mahon, Alice
Marek, Dr John
Michie, Bill (Sheffield Heeley)
Morris, Rt Hon Alfred (Wy'nshawe)
Mullin, Chris
O'Brien, William (Normanton)
Parry, Robert
Pike, Peter L
Prentice, Gordon (Pendle)
Purchase, Ken
Rendel, David
Salmond, Alex
Sedgemore, Brian
Sheerman, Barry
Simpson, Alan
Skinner, Dennis
Smith, Llew (Blaenau Gwent)
Spearing, Nigel
Steinberg, Gerry
Taylor, Rt Hon John D (Strgfd)
Taylor, Matthew (Truro)
Tyler, Paul
Wareing, Robert N
Wigley, Dafydd
Williams, Alan W (Carmarthen)
Wise, Audrey
Ms Liz Lynne and
Mr. Don Foster.
NOES
Atkins, Rt Hon Robert
Batiste, Spencer
Bottomley, Peter (Eltham)
Boyson, Rt Hon Sir Rhodes
Brown, M (Brigg & Cl'thorpes)
Bruce, Ian (South Dorset)
Butcher, John
Butterfill, John
Carlisle, Sir Kenneth (Lincoln)
Carrington, Matthew
Chapman, Sir Sydney
Deva, Nirj Joseph
Dover, Den
Duncan-Smith, Iain
Emery, Rt Hon Sir Peter
Evans, David (Welwyn Hatfield)
Fabricant, Michael
Fenner, Dame Peggy
Gorman, Mrs Teresa
Grant, Sir A (SW Cambs)
Hawksley, Warren
Hendry, Charles
Hill, James (Southampton Test)
Kellett-Bowman, Dame Elaine
Knight, Dame Jill (Bir'm E'st'n)
Lamont, Rt Hon Norman
Lawrence, Sir Ivan
Madel, Sir David
Marlow, Tony
Marshall, John (Hendon S)
Martin, David (Portsmouth S)
Mitchell, Sir David (NW Hants)
Moate, Sir Roger
Neubert, Sir Michael
Nicholls, Patrick
Onslow, Rt Hon Sir Cranley
Pawsey, James
Porter, Barry (Wirral S)
Porter, David (Waveney)
Powell, William (Corby)
Roe, Mrs Marion (Broxbourne)
Shaw, David (Dover)
Skeet, Sir Trevor
Speed, Sir Keith
Spicer, Sir James (W Dorset)
Stephen, Michael
Townsend, Cyril D (Bexl'yh'th)
Twinn, Dr Ian
Wiggin, Sir Jerry
Mr. Robert G. Hughes and
Mr. Jacques Arnold.
| Next Section
| Index | Home Page |