Question: Why are you introducing your private members bill giving temporary employees the same rights and working conditions as permanent staff?

Andrew Miller: There are two reasons why I am putting this bill forward: firstly for the long-term development of the British economy; and secondly on the moral basis for treating people equally.

In economic terms we are not going to succeed if we try and undercut the lowest terms and conditions of employment in the world, we are going to succeed if we have a highly skilled, highly trained workforce.

The way in which a lot of employers are using agencies to drive down pay and conditions is not a long term constructive solution it's good old British short-termism which is good for just that but not good for Britain in the world as portrayed by the prime minister in his speech at Davos.

Years ago we started the process of creating equality between men and women in the workplace. Now I'm just adding to that and saying there should be no difference between how temporary workers and permanent staff are treated.

Question: Gordon Brown is reported to have said he would set up an independent review. Would that satisfy you?

Miller: Frankly it would depend on what the terms of reference were and that has not been put to me yet.

If there was a short sharp look at the issue against the background of accepting that equal value must apply in the workplace as opposed to might apply it could sail.

But I actually think that people are overcomplicating the issue and creating the myths that we heard when the minimum wage was introduced that it was going to lead to Britain losing competitivness, losing thousands of jobs and so on, well this is just scare stories being put forward by cheapskate plc and not by serious contenders in the UK economy.

Question: Will Gordon Brown listen because you have the backing of the biggest unions?

Miller: I hope that Number 10 are listening to the voice of the trade unions but actually this bill is coming with the support of an extremely wide cross-section of the parliamentary Labour Party as you can see from my sponsors which reflect every strand of opinion in the PLP and I hope the government take note of that and respond accordingly.