§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now consider seeking to amend the Employment Protection Act to include in its provisions workers employed for fewer than eight hours per week.
§ Mr. Jim LesterNo. I consider that the current minimum number of hours to be worked in order to qualify for various provisions of employment protection legislation represents a fair balance between the protection afforded to employees and the burden imposed by the legislation on employers.
§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider seeking to amend the Employment Protection Act to include in its provisions workers employed for fewer than 16 hours per week, irrespective of how many years they have worked for the same firm.
§ Mr. Jim LesterI consider that part-time employees working for fewer than 16 hours a week should work for a reasonable number of years for the same employer before the rights and corresponding burdens of the legislation apply.