Ministers urged to press ahead with ban on zero-hours contracts

Campaigners reject claims that tougher rules will deter hiring - and lock young people out of jobs

Ministers should press ahead with a ban on zero-hours contracts, campaigners say, despite claims by business leaders that it would deter hiring and lock out more young people from the labour market.

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the union umbrella organisation the TUC were among eight signatories to a letter to the department of business and trade, calling on the government to ignore the noise" from businesses, which want zero-hours contracts to remain.