On Tuesday John Mann MP presented a Ten-Minute Rule Bill on the Commons floor seeking legal guarantees that major public works contract holders employ British workers.

John Mann is pushing the Bill in response to contractors who have employed cheap agency foreign workers who undercut the salary costs of UK-based workers. The demonstrations and strikes at Lindsey Oil Refinery and Staythorpe Power Station last year highlighted this issue where British workers were being laid off in favour of low cost labour being imported from overseas.

John is proposing a guarantee built into government contracts that contractors provide new apprenticeships and skills re-training in partnership with local colleges in order to increase the skills levels of the local workforce.

The Bill also requires all major contract jobs to be advertised at the local job centre.

Commenting on the Bill John Mann said "this is a Bill that will change the attitude of some of our major building firms and ensure that they employ British-based workers rather than import low-skilled low cost workers from elsewhere. This is about tackling unemployment and ensuring that this country has a strong skills base."

He added "The bill will also improve the competitiveness of British based companies against overseas multi-nationals".

 02 March 2010