“These consultations are a crucial opportunity for government to engage with businesses to get these reforms right. The Bill represents a generational change to our labour market. But we need to remember that the flexible British jobs market is one of our biggest economic strengths – the cost in poorer growth and unemployment of getting things wrong should not be ignored. We’re particularly pleased that the government has launched a specific agency work consultation – it’s a vital route to work for lots of workers and helps firms react to changing conditions.  It needs protecting if we are to maintain our world-leading job performance.  

“We will use the consultation process on the provisions around zero hours contracts (ZHCs) to ensure the government understands the difference between exploitative ZHCs and well-regulated agency work.  Agency workers are among the best protected people in our labour market, with protection from two different sets of Regulations and a specific Employment Agencies Act, with enforcement by a statutory regulator. And by working with an agency, workers always have someone looking out for them on a client site. 

“With the Budget next week, firms are looking for more detail on how the government will support growth. Today’s impact assessment shows that the measures in the Bill have a cost impact, that will fall on firms who are already facing a wide range of other rising costs. It’s time to back British business.”