SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND THE GIG ECONOMY

That this House notes the abuses of self-employment that have been documented in the report, Wild West Workplace; regrets that 10,500 self employed people delivering parcels for Hermes are vulnerable to low pay, bullying and insecure work, and that they do not enjoy the flexibility that is commonly associated with self-employment; calls on HM Revenue and Customs to initiate an inquiry into whether Hermes and other companies comprising the gig economy are enforcing self-employment on workers in order escape their tax, National Insurance and pension liabilities; and further calls on those companies to ensure couriers are guaranteed a minimum hourly rate that is equivalent to the National Living Wage.