AQO 641/22-27 Oral question to the Minister for the Economy
To ask the Minister for the Economy how he will deliver his Department's commitments in New Decade, New Approach on workers' rights.
Asked by Eóin Tennyson MLA on 13 June 2024
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 13 June 2024
- Answer due by
- 24 June 2024
- Answered
- 24 June 202411 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for the Economy
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 24 June 2024. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Mr C Murphy
I plan to consult on proposals to bring forward an employment rights Bill to protect and enhance workers' rights. As well as supporting the commitments in 'New Decade, New Approach', the new legislation will help deliver on the good jobs objective in my economic plan. Payment of the real living wage is a key element of a good job. While minimum wage setting powers have not been devolved at this stage, I recently announced my Department's support for a full-time living wage franchise here to encourage the uptake of the real living wage. My Department will provide £125,000 per year to Advice NI to carry out that important work.
Mr Tennyson
I thank the Minister for that answer. Will that legislation include provision to expand basic rights on day 1 of employment, such as the right to parental leave?
Mr C Murphy
Yes. As I say, I hope, next week, to announce a consultation on the full range of issues that will be in the good jobs Bill. My intention is to come to the Chamber to do that next week. That will include a range of matters. The consultation document will go out. Of course, people can respond and, if they think that it should cover other areas that are not in it, they can feel free to make that contribution to it or, indeed, offer observations or insights on some of the issues that are addressed. A fairly comprehensive piece of legislation will come from that, so it is a significant consultation document. I look forward to being able to launch that next week and have feedback on it over the summer.
Mr Durkan
Does the Minister agree that exploitative zero-hour contracts should be banned as part of that employment Bill? I know that it will go out for consultation — I look forward to that — but can he indicate at this stage whether he thinks that the legislation should include such a ban?
Mr C Murphy
I have already said on a number of occasions that it will and should include such a ban. Exploitative situations for all workers should be tackled wherever we can do that. As I said in response to a previous question, if there is one thing that we can do here, it is to tackle inequalities and injustices, and we should set our minds to that. It is my intention to do that. Obviously, I will put it out to consultation and see what the return is, but I would be surprised if there were not strong support for that.