Dr. Peter Rigney:

I would need to see more evidence of people being unable to recruit and to fill positions. There are difficulties but some of them can be resolved. There is a differentiation between low-skill industries. For example, the contract cleaning and security industries both have employment regulation orders and pay a little bit above, albeit not wildly above, the minimum wage, and have certain minimum conditions, relating to basic sick pay, provision of uniforms and so on, laid down. That does not apply to the meat cutting or hospitality sectors. Sometimes, the possibility of having an employment regulation order, which would increase conditions slightly in the sector, can improve matters. For example, on a day like this, if I had a choice, with all other things being equal, of being out working on a roof in the construction sector or being inside as a kitchen porter, I would prefer to be inside as a kitchen porter. The fact that guys, and they are mainly guys, would prefer to be out on a roof is because the construction industry pays more. It is rule one of first-year economics.