Speeches by Bance.

“Last summer’s Labour manifesto included the words “Fully costed, fully funded—built on a rock of fiscal responsibility”, and they were words on which I was proud to be elected. Money resolutions are normally a formality, but not this one—not today. This resolution asks us to give a blank cheque to this Bill, which make…”

“I will not—I have only a little time. It is not just the health system that will take on new costs. Our civil courts are groaning under the strain of years of Tory underfunding, although my right hon. Friend the Justice Secretary is doing a brilliant job of putting our court system back to rights. However, this Bill wi…”

“Newby Foundries and Alucast in my constituency of Tipton, Wednesbury and Coseley have raised with me the impact of the UK CBAM coming into effect later than, and differing from, the EU CBAM. This could threaten domestic steel production and make the export of metal products to the EU more difficult. Can the Minister pl…”

“As a Black Country MP, I am a proud advocate for the metal finishing and steel industries. Industry, not least Newby Foundries and Alucast in my constituency, has been warning about the trade impact of the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism. I asked the Chancellor this morning, and I will ask you now: what are the…”

“That solution would be very much supported by the businesses in my constituency, which are worried about both the gap between the EU and UK implementation of CBAM and about the additional paperwork and difficulty that comes from the two systems not being aligned. I think you are absolutely right to speak about the pote…”

“7. What steps she plans to take to help protect the steel industry from high-emission steel being diverted away from the EU to the UK following confirmation of the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism for 2027.”

“I spent the pandemic as a trade unionist at the TUC, supporting Frances, now Baroness, O’Grady in her fight for the rights to safety of working people. The covid inquiry heard time and again about the impact of the pandemic on those with low wages and insecure work—people who had to go into work even when it was not sa…”

“Can I check something? Paddy, I think you said in your opening remarks that the 12-week reference period was used for holiday pay and that it was very recently got rid of for holiday pay, I think in the last two or three years. Many employers will have systems that enable them to operate a 12-week reference period for …”

“Okay. That is not my understanding. Can you write to the Committee to reassure us that you are not using fire and rehire? We will keep an eye on that group of workers.”

“This is the final question from me—it may not be my final question, to be fair—in this section. My understanding is that you are currently in negotiations around changes to terms and contracts with a set of maintenance engineers at the Shirebrook facility. In fact, management at that facility have said to those mainten…”

“One of the ways in which your workers were at times penalised by the agencies with which you had employment contracts for the staff at Shirebrook was by the use of prepaid debit cards, with fees attached that were paid to the agencies, to pay those workers. Do your agencies still use prepaid debit cards for those worke…”

“I am very glad to hear about the improvement in health and safety. That has been reported to me by union reps on the health and safety committee as well. Can you characterise for me whether you now have a productive working relationship with Unite the Union, which has representation rights for workers at the Shirebrook…”

“I am very glad to hear it. Thank you. In the two years to 2015, ambulances were called to the Shirebrook facility 76 times. How many times have ambulances been called to the Shirebrook facility in the last two years, please?”

“The location where people can take their breaks: as a reminder, it can be a breach of national minimum wage legislation if people are not able to use their breaks as they wish. It then becomes paid time. Can people leave the Shirebrook facility for their breaks?”

“Are you confident that you are now meeting your obligations under the national minimum wage legislation? The group CEO said to this Committee—he disclosed for the first time—that he was not meeting his national minimum wage obligations in 2016 as a result of the operation of security searches in non-paid time and peopl…”

“To be clear, in 2013, 90% of the employees of Sports Direct—I understand you are now a larger group—were on zero-hours contracts. What is the proportion now?”

“Don’t worry about it. You are on track to report profits of between £550 million and £600 million this year. You have spoken about the respect that you have for the workers and the extent to which they are responsible for your organisation to continue to be profit making. Why don’t you share the proceeds of the profits…”

“Are you comfortable with the pace of change of movement of people on to directly employed contracts?”

“Okay. Are you comfortable with that pace of change and do you think that pace of change will enable you to meet your obligations under the new Employment Rights Bill when it enters into law in the next couple of years?”

“Twelve hundred, my apologies. Speaking to a predecessor Committee in 2016, the group chief executive of your company committed to moving people on to directly employed contracts. How are you doing at moving people on to directly employed contracts? Is it still the policy of your company to move people on to directly em…”