Fuse expert gives evidence to Scottish Parliament inquiry

Fuse Associate Director Clare Bambra was invited to present evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee inquiry into 'Work, Wages and Wellbeing in the Scottish labour market'.

Clare, Professor of Public Health Geography at Durham University, presented oral evidence about the health impacts of low quality jobs with respect to:

• the health effects of low quality physical working conditions;
• the health effects of low quality psychological and social working conditions; and
• the health effects of low quality contractual working conditions.

She argued that from a public health perspective, ‘bad’ quality jobs are those that entail exposure to poor physical, psychological, social or contractual working conditions whilst ‘good’ quality jobs are those that offer better working environments.

Professor Bambra (pictured) outlined evidence that the health effects of low quality jobs are multiple and extensive ranging from muscle and skeletal pain through to mental ill health and heart disease. She argued that the Scottish Government can improve low quality work by increasing workplace health and safety inspections, examining the feasibility of further work place regulations (e.g. regulating the work environment), developing and improving guidance for employers, banning zero-hours contracts, regulating other forms of insecure work, implementing a living wage and/or re-examining the contribution basis of work-related benefit and pension entitlements.

Clare's evidence was based on her 2011 book Work, Worklessness and the Political Economy of Health (Oxford, OUP).

Read the official Scottish Parliamentary report on the evidence hearing.

Last modified: Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:42:08 BST

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