Your webchat with Jim Fitzpatrick

11 April 2007

Many thanks for your questions to the employment relations minister. We answered as many as we could in the time we had available. Below you can find the unedited question and answer transcript.

Read the transcript

Jim says: Good afternoon.  This is Jim Fitzpatrick, MP for Poplar and Canning Town, East London here as Employment Minister to try to answer your questions which I am looking forward to.

Margaret Onians: Some things are happening right, but how long till you protect the rights of temporary and contract workers? They are currently absolutely at the mercy of the only people who will offer them anything because they are unqualified - and are often single parents, women, and without the skills to defend themselves against exploitation. I'm sure you know what they need and aren't getting.

Jim replies: 

Hello Margaret.  It's not true to say that people working as temporary or contract workers have no rights.  They are at lest entitled to national minimum wage, paid annual leave, maternity leave, health and safety provisions, anti-discrimiantion protection and other rights.

Further, however we do recogmise that there are some people in this sector who are being taking advantage of and we are about to run two major pilots to gather evidence about people who are most vulnerable.  These pilots will be in Birmingham and London and will be launched next month.  We also have a consultation exercise underway on additional protections we want to introduce to close some loopholes which are being taken advantage of by some unscrupulous employers.  If you want more information you can get it on the DTI website.

Tony J: Do you think that a University degree is now the minimum needed to get a job? What about those kidz who are not educational and want to get out to work at 16?

Jim replies: 

I don't believe it's the minimum requirement Tony but the government does have an ambition to see many more young people get to university because we need to ensure our young people have the best access to skills if the UK is going to be able to compete in the global economy. 

We have also massively expanded apprenticeships for people who are more vocationally gifted and have introduced the Educational Maintenance Allowance to encourage young people to stay on at school.

Trigger: The extended maternity leave is to be welcomed, but when will fathers get more leave. I appreciate what your government has done in this area, but we are still a LONG way behind our Scandinavian cousins.

Jim replies: Trigger, we are about to go out to consultation in May to ask the question whether fathers should be able to take up to six months additional paternity leave if mum wants to go back to work.  This will allow families to decide what is best for them and hopefully will meet your expectation. Do look out for the consultation and make a comment if you wish.

P Gilbert: What does the minister think about the role of managers in the workplace? The PM didn't mention them in his speech. If we as a country are to achieve the things that the prime minister described, we will need to develop and maintain a high level of management capability.

Jim replies: 

Dear P Gilbert, the PM didn't specifically mention managers in his speech - which I read through before coming here - but he did spend quite a bit of his time talking about he changing culture of the workplace and the value of every individual. 

Obviously good managers know how to look after their staff and are invaluable to the companies they work for.  We need to make sure they have access to the best training and resources to be able to do the job they are employed to do.  There is a lot of infomation on the Business Link website specifically for managers which you may find of interest.

Violet: What does the minister think about UK firms outsourcing jobs like telesales to India? I lost my job because of this, should it be banned?

Jim replies: I think you would have seen the trend Violet, that a number of UK companies have been bringing telesales back to the UK.  Obviously every company will make its own decision where to locate and in the global economy old style protectionism just doesn't work anymore.  We need to make sure the conditions are right for companies to locate here and employ our people and we need to make sure we have the skills to encourage them to come to the UK.

Gerry: In many small workplaces such as mine, it is difficult to get the boss to take health and safety and - and issue I know you are keen on - fire safety issues seriously. Self-policing doesn't always work - does the government intend to conduct inspections?

Jim replies: Gerry, health and safety is absolutely fundamental and only the most stupid of employers would not regard it as a high priority.  In terms of fire safety, if you are worried do contact your local fire station or fire authority.  They will take anonymous calls and investigate if they feel there is any risk involved. For other health and safety issues contact the Health and Safety Executive.

Nirav Patel: Will the government be pushing for flexible working for all employee's of medium and large companies, with tax incentives for them to cope with the costs of setting it up.

This would have multiple benefits by reducing congestion and the pollution created by the daily commute to work as well has helping provide a better home work balance.

Jim replies: The government has already done a lot to encourage flexible working Nirav.  The right to request flexible working for parents with young or disabled children is this month being extended to the carers of adults.  The proportion of people working flexibly in the UK has been increasing over recent years.  Many companies clearly see it is to their advantage to accommodate the various work/life pressures people are under in a modern society.  I have no doubt this trend will continue and we are already under pressure to extend the right to request flexible working to parents of all school age children but are not ready to do that quite yet.  A final point, our employee survey last year showed that 56% of employees worked flexibly in that period which shows just how popular flexible working is.

Sarah Lee: Dear Jim

My company encourages flexible working, which I applaud - but I rely on my local post office to be able to do this. I am concerned about the current proposals to close post offices - without my local post office I would be unable to work from home. Have you considered what impact the closures will have on those us who's business relies on the local post office?

Jim replies: Dear Sarah, we have just finished a major consultation on the future of the post office network as you clearly know and the impact on local employment has featured and will be taken into consideration as we arrive at our conclusions.  You will also know that our ambition is to protect the network which is described as unsustainable - with losses this year estimated at £4 million per week.  We have committed £2 billion since 1999 with another £1.7 billion promised up to 2011.  We know how important the network is and we are determined to make sure we maintain its national cover.

Mr Austen Wells: Why is it that it is illegal to discriminate against somebody due to their age but it is OK for under 18's to be paid less than over 18 for doing exactly the same job, the only reason being that the person is under 18. Isn't this discriminating?

Jim replies: Dear Mr Wells, firstly we are guided by the recommendations of the Independent Low Pay Commission in the application of the national minimum wage.  Secondly, as I mentioned in an earlier answer, we are keen to encourage young people to stay on at school until 18.  Any addtional enhancements of the younger rates could attract more young people out of school.  However, the Low Pay Commission review rates annually and we continue to look to them for guidance.

Peter Rose: My teenage daughters have been unable to get themselves a part-time job over Easter because my small town has 250 eastern Europeans who have taken all the jobs. What does the minister have to say to my daughters who only wanted to earn a few extra pounds for spending money?

Jim replies: Peter, in terms of employment, we have seen two and a half million new jobs created in the UK over the last 10 years.  The scourge of unemployment has been reduced considerably over the UK.  However, a number of jobs across the UK are unattractive to many of our own people but have been taken by migrants from Eastern Europe who are filling this gap.  Equally, the skills and motivation that many migrant workers have brought have helped the UK economy grow and we have seen a successful economy in the last decade, especially compared to our European partners.  Sadly this may be creating difficulties such as those faced by your daughters in terms of short term vacancies but overall the benefit to the UK is considerable.

Xavier: How many contruction jobs with 2012 bring to London, will they all be taken by Poles?

Jim replies: Xavier, there will be 1000s of construction jobs specifically created because of the Olympics.  The Thames Gateway is one of the biggest regeneration areas in the EU which includes the Olympic sites.  There are programmes being worked up to ensure as many local people as possible have an opportunity to train for these jobs.  Unemployment in this part of East London is still very high, and one of the reasons why London won the bid was because of the legacy that will be left afterwards.  This is not just about buildings or landscaping but also about improving the life chances of people who need these opportunities.

Roger Rosser: Hi Jim, what do you think about the sale of British institutions like Boots to overseas private equity firms? Is this the price we pay for a "global economy"?

Jim replies: Hi Roger.  Is it just overseas equity firms you don't like or do some of our British ones concern you also?  I think globalisation is changing the way finance and business operates and we are seeing evidence of this in many of our traditional industries, businesses and companies.  The government's priority has been to ensure social justice in the workplace to complement economic performance.  This has led to the growth in jobs and to an improvement in the standard of living for millions of people.

Ian Hooper: Hi Jim, with your London ministers hat on, do you think employers are making the most of the capital's diverse workforce?

Jim replies: Afternoon Ian.  I think many London employers are benefiting from the capital's rich, diverse population but sadly not all.  A diverse workforce brings more varied knowledge to any business which can only help it function in the modern setting of London.  However, as I mentioned earlier, in many parts of London there is massive worklessness, particularly our black and ethnic minoritry communities, and opportunities such as the Olympics in 2012 give us a change to equip many of these people with the skills to join the workforce for the first time.  Further, I think there is now a modern expectation that public services and the people who work for them should reflect the communities they serve.

Mohammed Shafiq: What additional support will be made avaliable to tackle the high unemployment amongst ethnic minority communities?

Jim replies: Mohammed, there are initiatives in various areas, mainly via Job Centre Plus, to try to address these problems.  For example, there is the London East Skills Taskforce which has been given resources to bring together all the major partners to address the high unemploymet levels there. It has additional resources and specific budget for this task.

Jennifer: My husband works unsociable hours in the food and beverage sector and has to take days out of his annual leave entitlement if he wants to take a public holiday off. I understand there is an increase coming into effect in October to increase holiday entitlement to 24 days. What will you do to increase the national holiday entitlement from 24 days to include national holidays, or holidays in lieu, for a total of at least 28 days per year?

Jim replies: Jennifer, we are just concluding the last round of consulation over our proposals to increase leave entitlement for UK workers.  At present everyone is entitled 20 days/four weeks paid leave and we are increasing this to 28 days.  Our proposals are for 4 addtional days from this October and the second 4 from next October 2008.  How this will be introduced in every individual workplace will be a matter of local negotiation, but our intention is to guarantee everybody gets 28 days paid annual holiday (5.6 weeks pro rata for part time workers).

Julia Levy: Does the Minister agree that the ageing population requires a joined up policy strategy to ensure a healthy and productive workforce, which for example links the Department of Health Small Change Big Difference campaign to employee behaviour and employer responsibilities? If so, what progress is being made to develop such a joined up strategy?

Jim replies: 

Julia, I think what's clear is that everyone is becoming more concerned with healthy lifestyles.  Also we have a population which ageing with more pensioners than ever before (around 14 million).  The culture of work has also been changing in recent decades.  Last October 2006 we legislated against age discrimination in the workplace as many people don't want to retire at 65 and many companies want to hold on to the invaluable experience of their staff.  It is every government's intention to have joined up policies.  I hope that you will see that's exactly what is happening here although policy responsbility rests with different departments.

William: Is the modern-day workplace stronger or weaker without the power of the Unions that we had in the 70s?

Jim replies: William, I think we can both agree the modern workplace is a very different animal to that which existed in the 70s.  It is our belief unions have an important role to play in the economy and do an invaluable job for their members.  We have passed a variety of pieces of legislation to improve the relationship between employer and employee and to assist unions carry out their functions.  One example of an initiative is the Union Modernisation Fund which helps unions come to terms with globalisation, modern pressures and new challenges of a more diverse workforce. 

Alex: What steps should be taken if you beleive that there is discrimination within the workplace?

Jim replies: Alex, if you have a problem or feel there is a problem, the ACAS helpline is available to give advice.  We have legislated against discrimination in the workplace and there is a lot of legal protection out there for people who may be vulnerable.  You're probably aware that in October the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disablity RIghts Commission are being merged to form the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and they will be responbile in this area then.  In the meantime ACAS's helpline number is 0845 7474747.

paresha merricks: What are you doing about the number of employers (namely hosiery bosses) who are adopting all the tricks in the trade to pay their staff less than the minimum wage with no additional benefits such as holiday pay? my mother has been one of the victims and she feels that there is nothing she can do about it, because the process of taking it further is so complicated and lengthy.


Jim replies: Dear Paresha, there are enforcement teams available to protect people against employers not paying the national minimum wage and we are expanding them by 50% next year.  Last year they recovered around £3 million back pay for people who were underpaid.  We are also introducing new penalities against rogue employers and we are going to consult on additional sanctions to crack down on the small minority of empoyers who continue to flout minimum wage reulations.  The national minimum wage helpline to report under payments or complaints is 0845 6000 678.

Anne Gall: Why is it that us over sixties who want to work, yet no one will employ us we would be more reliable and capable than an 17 year old

Jim replies: Dear Anne, as someone approaching 60, I sympathise with people in this predicament.  It is very clear to us in government that there are many older people who would be great assets to businesses if only they were given the chance.  We hope the new anti-age discrimination legislation will help to change the culture in many businesses and assist in changing attitudes towards older people.  I hope the situation changes for you.  Good luck.

mr w killick: My question is,if it is a directive from the EU that we have to observe the Minimum Wage,why can we not also have the same pensions as the E.U,why is it that this Government pick and choose what parts of the Charter to implement.

Jim replies: Dear Mr Killick, it's not true to say the minimum wage is an EU directive.  It is UK legislation and I am sorry to say there is also no EU directive on pensions.  The Government is fully signed up to the Social Chapter and it has been fully implemented.

Wallis: What is the government's vision for a truly flexible workplace for the 21st century?

Jim replies: Dear Wallis, as I mentioned in a previous answer, our latest workplace survey indicated 56% of people worked flexibly last year and I also mentioned earlier we are extending the right to request flexible working to another 2.6 million people who care for adults in the UK.  I think that the modern flexible 21st century workplace is arriving, if not already here, and with advances in technology and  communications the opportunities for people to work at home and work remotely are also increasing.  This clearly is the way forward but virtual reality ministers may be a little more remote.

liam Marshall: The next thing I hope to see is more Government workers, working from home. This would save on Government running cost and Vehicle congestion. Looking further up the road, think how much money their buildings are worth. The MI5 Building alone is worth an estimated £565,000,000.

Jim replies: Dear Liam, there already is coniserable flexible working in the civil service and pressure for more is growing.  In DTI we are reducing our London buildings from 6 to 2 but the one is not going to be worth anything like £565,000,000.  This seems a huge figure and unlikely to be accurate but you may know better.

Oliver: Will London always be the centre for jobs in the UK - how can we get jobs into the regions? I think some areas of the country and being neglected.

Jim replies: Dear Oliver, as Minister for London, I might personally have a view that government policy of moving jobs from London has gone far enough.  However, there is a clear determination to ensure that the whole of the UK benefits from our present economic success.  If you think back only 20 years, many of our major cities appeared to be in terminal decline whereas now they are flourishing - Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff.  In East London, which was an industrial desert 20 years ago, we now have one of the most exciting regeneration areas in Europe. If only West Ham Utd can stay in the premiership we can have a team to match the area!

Matt Hardman: This government is obsessed with creating more and more regulation to create more flexible working arrangements. Those regulations are ill thought out and place a greater burden in terms of cost and administartion on smaller firms than larger firms. The smaller firms make up the majority of the private sector and as a consequence large numbers of employers will struggle to come to terms with the changes. What small firms need is a recognition that these changes are placing extra costs on to them in recruiting or in the loss in productivity if cover, for someone on maternity leave for example, is not possible. What is the government planning to do to provide extra resource for employers to support them in recruting or adminstration and finance to compensate them for the loss in profitability?

Jim replies: 

Dear Mr Hardman, we recognise the pressures on business having to introduce some of the new arrangements which is why we fully consulted small and large enterprises to try to get the balance right.  For example, the right to request flexible working was designed by teams including small businesses.  The UK economy has out performed our competitors in recent years and SMEs play a central role in this success. 

We are sensitive to the pressures and will continue to listen to the concerms of small businesses.  My last point is taht we are consulting on new dispute resolution procedures which have been designed paraticuarly for small businesses that have no HR capacity.  The consultation information can be found on the DTI website.

Jim says: If I may say thank you to everybody who has participated.  Apologies if we didn't get to your question and sorry for mentioning West Ham but I don't get an opportunity like this very often!  If we can be of more assistance on employment matters, do check out the DTI website: www.dti.gov.uk

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