Limiting working week would aid 250,000 people

LIMITING the working week to 48 hours would benefit 250,000 workers in Scotland, Labour has said.

The proposal is among a raft of measures set out in a new industrial strategy unveiled by the party in Edinburgh.

The document argues that powers over employment and health-and-safety law repatriated after Brexit, if devolved to Scotland, could be used to reverse the UK opt-out of the EU working time directive that limits the length of the working week to 48 hours.

Labour has urged the UK and Scottish governments to work with business to consider the policy, which it said would boost productivity, and particularly benefit NHS workers.

Economy spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “There are opportunities that come from Brexit, that is the return of certain regulations and powers to the UK.

“We would like to see, in the context of the economy changing anyway – automation is a thing, flexible working is increasing – we want to make sure that we get a good work-life balance for people but we also address the needs of the economy, and with automation the nature of work will change.

“We need to embrace that change, so we want to open a dialogue with businesses to talk about opportunities there that Brexit will provide and the EU working time directive is one of them.”

Labour said adopting the measures contained in the strategy could boost gross domestic product (GDP) by almost £45billion.

They include more investment in computer coding and science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects as well as strengthening the Scottish Investment Bank.