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Single Status of Worker — [Clive Efford in the Chair]
15 April 2026
Lead MP
Justin Madders
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Lab
Responding Minister
Kate Dearden
Tags
EmploymentBusiness Compliance
Word Count: 8970
Other Contributors: 9
At a Glance
Justin Madders raised concerns about single status of worker — [clive efford in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Government should open a consultation on employment [K status this spring and set out a timeline for delivering change towards a s [1D [K single status of worker to simplify the system and ensure fair treatment of [2D [K of working people.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The Government's commitment to a single status of wo [2D [K worker is noticeably absent, despite pledges made during the last election. [9D [K election. The current employment status system is overly complicated and ou [2D [K outdated, leading to issues such as bogus self-employment, which undermines [10D [K undermines fair competition and workers' rights. Recent gig economy trends [K have exacerbated these problems, with more than 4 million people in insecur [7D [K insecure work by the end of the previous administration, half of whom were [K low-paid self-employed individuals likely not genuinely self-employed.
Andrew Griffith
Con
Arundel and South Downs
Griffith acknowledged the importance of improving em [2D [K employment rights but cautioned against rapid legislative changes due to po [2D [K potential negative impacts on employment rates among young people. He calle [5D [K called for a cautious approach, emphasizing the need for a thorough consult [7D [K consultation before proceeding with further legislation.
Andy McDonald
Lab
Middlesbrough and Thornaby East
Mr McDonald supports the Government's direction on e [1D [K employment rights but urges for faster implementation of a single status of [2D [K of worker. He highlights that artificial self-employment undermines workers [7D [K workers' basic protections and the Exchequer, with estimated lost revenues [K of £10 billion per annum according to TUC research.
Antonia Bance
Lab
Tipton and Wednesbury
I thank my hon. Friend for giving way, noting the co [2D [K competitive disadvantage faced by employers who follow ethical employment p [1D [K practices compared to those that do not, citing evidence from Royal Mail an [2D [K and the British Hairdressing Association.
Redditch
He discussed the three-tier system of employment sta [3D [K status, highlighting that it is overly complex and often unclear. Christoph [9D [K Christopher Bloore argued that approximately 4 million people in the UK are [3D [K are in insecure work, including those on zero-hours contracts or in precari [7D [K precarious self-employment. He emphasized that companies relying on insecur [7D [K insecure models can undercut responsible employers, leading to a race to th [2D [K the bottom, which ultimately harms workers and weakens the economy.
Ian Lavery
Lab
Blyth and Ashington
Ian Lavery criticised the Conservative government's [K approach to trade unions, arguing that it led to the gig economy with insec [5D [K insecure employment. He highlighted legal underpinnings from Acts in 1992 a [1D [K and 1996 which defined two levels of employment status: employee and worker [6D [K worker, leading to exploitative use of casual labour. Lavery pointed out ec [2D [K economic effects such as replacement of good jobs by low-paid ones and lack [4D [K lack of investment due to cheap labour.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Asked about maintaining seasonal employment flexibil [8D [K flexibility under the new Employment Rights Act, addressing misconceptions [K regarding self-employment status for young people.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Emphasised the need for balance in implementing a si [2D [K single status of worker to avoid disadvantaging small businesses. Raised co [2D [K concerns about economic reality and flexibility, noting that limb (b) worke [5D [K worker status offers compromise for business owners.
Joshua Reynolds
Lib Dem
Maidenhead
Reynolds highlighted the inadequacies of current emp [3D [K employment laws and advocated for a dependent contractor status that would [K provide essential rights to individuals working under precarious conditions [10D [K conditions. He emphasized the need for tax and national insurance alignment [9D [K alignment, shifting the burden of proof in disputes from workers to employe [7D [K employers, urgent attention to pension provision for gig economy workers, a [1D [K and higher minimum wage standards for zero-hours contracts.
Tahir Ali
Lab
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley
Supported the need for union recognition to protect [K workers' rights in small organisations, highlighting historical context of [K trade unions improving working conditions.
Government Response
Kate Dearden
Government Response
I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debat [5D [K debate, highlighting that employment rights legislation needs updating due [K to changes in the world of work. The Minister agrees that changing the empl [4D [K employment status framework is necessary for vulnerable workers and acknowl [7D [K acknowledges challenges with enforcement and complex case law. A dedicated [K hidden economy team within the Fair Work Agency will take action from April [5D [K April to tackle illegal working and tax status breaches. A consultation on [K plans to address employment status problems will be published, considering [K how to improve compliance so everyone gets their entitled rights.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.