I don’t think I would agree with that, because, on average, people on these contracts work an average of 25 hours a week. Nearly 70 per cent of those people don’t want more hours. So, that’s what I would say.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has said that these contracts can benefit, of course, both the employer and the employee. Now, that said, it is clearly important to make sure that those benefitting from the flexibility of these contracts are not exploited by unscrupulous employers. Of course I agree with that. I therefore welcome the fact that the UK Government has already taken action and is now reviewing whether employment rules have kept pace with changes to the economy, especially for those who do not have traditional employment relationships. In 2015 the UK Government legislated for change with regard to zero-hours contracts, and it’s now illegal, of course, for employers to include exclusivity clauses in these contracts. For me, I think that’s a welcome step that means that people have the freedom to look for and take other work opportunities and have more control over their working hours and income. Individuals on these contracts can also make a complaint to an employment tribunal if they want to as well, if the employer mistreats them in that regard, or for seeking work elsewhere.

Now, the independent Taylor review on modern employment practices under the leadership of the chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts and former senior Labour adviser, Matthew Taylor, is further considering zero-hours contracts and will assess whether our employment rules have kept pace with the changes in the economy, such as the growth in self-employment, on-demand working and the practice of contracting rather than hiring. So, I, of course, hope—I do hope—that it will make recommendations about how to maintain the employment flexibility, which is essential, I think, for a modern economy, whilst at the same time supporting job security, workplace rights and opportunities at the same time. I think that can be achieved. So, I believe that it’s right to look at how these contracts are used in practice, and if there is evidence of problems or abuse—address them. That would be my view, and that’s exactly what I think the Taylor review is doing, and I support that approach.