During the debate on the Work and Families Bill, Charles Walker clarifies an issue regarding the number of statutory days holiday provided by employers.

Mr. Walker: I understand that the current provision is 20 days, of which eight days are bank holidays and 12 days are holidays provided by employers. The Warwick agreement states that employers will provide 20 statutory days with eight additional bank holidays on top of that, and the Minister provided an assurance on that point in Committee.

Mrs. Laing: I thank my hon. Friend for assisting me, because I have got it wrong. When I said 28 days excluding bank holidays, I meant to say 20 days excluding bank holidays. I inadvertently misled the House in my answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Heppell), who said from a sedentary position that it depends on what 28 days means. I am in favour of 20 days plus bank holidays, not 20 days including bank holidays. I hope that I have now made myself clear. I apologise for my lack of clarity, Madam Deputy Speaker, and thank my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mr. Walker) for noticing it and helping me so propitiously.

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