§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation extending all the legal rights of full-time workers to part-time workers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaddingtonMost employees already qualify for the individual statutory rights under the employment protection legislation—to which I assume the hon. Member is referring—provided that they have been employed for at least 16 hours per week by their employer and have completed the necessary qualifying period of service for the right concerned. Employees who have been employed continuously by their employer for at least five years also qualify for these rights provided they have worked for at least eight hours per week over this period.
My right hon. Friend has no plans to extend the rights to part-time workers below these limits.