First Minister's 'shameful' response on zero contracts angers Highland MSP
Highland MSP Rhoda Grant has challenged the First Minister over the need for foodbanks for those on unstable incomes.
At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday (November 22) the Scottish Labour spokesperson for Finance, Jobs and Fair Work Rhoda Grant asked what action the First Minister would be taking with 1 in 20 households using foodbanks having an unstable income due to self-employment or zero-hours contracts.
In response Nicola Sturgeon claimed the issue was out of the hands of the Scottish Government due to employment law being a reserved matter.
When Ms Grant challenged the First Minister to use the Scottish Government’s powers of public procurement to end the issue of zero-hours contracts being used by private agencies contracted by the public sector "the First Minister again evaded the question and responded with rhetoric".
"The fact of the matter is that the Scottish Government’s powers of public procurement allow it to outlaw the giving of contracts to any and all private contractors that employ people on zero-hours" pointed out the Highland MSP.
“The First Minister’s shameful response to my question is yet another example of the SNP refusing to be straight with the Scottish public and refusing to use the powers they already have.
“The SNP could today outlaw the use of zero-hour contracts by companies contracted by the state but they refuse to do so.
"Why? Simply because it does not fit in to their narrative of grievance.
“The SNP may vacillate on this issue, but Labour won’t. A Scottish Labour executive in Holyrood elected in 2021 would commit to using the powers of public procurement to end this practise and a Labour Government elected this December would eliminate the scourge of zero-hour contracts entirely.
“The SNP offer the people of Scotland nothing. Labour promises to bring about, in Scotland and throughout the UK, the real and lasting change this country needs.”
