THE Government is being accused of "dawdling" over taking action to improve the rights of workers employed in the so-called gig economy.

The heads of two Parliamentary Select Committees have urged ministers to enact recommendations of a review into employment by Matthew Taylor, a former aide to Tony Blair.

Rachel Reeves, who chairs the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee said: "Almost two years since the Prime Minister launched the Taylor Review and over a year on from the Government accepting most of its recommendations, the Government has failed to bring forward the promised Employment Bill needed to match the Prime Minister's commitment to 'a country that truly works for everyone'.

"While the Government dawdles, it is left to the courts to find in favour of people's basic employment rights, leaving vast numbers of people in insecure work without the rights many of us take for granted: sick pay, holiday pay, and certainty that they will earn at least the minimum wage."

She said the Government should stop "dragging its feet" and come forward with legislation to protect workers' rights and end the abuse by unscrupulous employers.

Frank Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, added: "Until the Government gets a grip on the gig economy, employers' revenues will go on being subsidised by their sweated workforce and an exhausted public purse.

"We're supposed to have entered the fourth industrial revolution. For millions of low-paid workers, it feels like the first.

"Eighteen months after our committees presented the Government with a law to fix this, we continue to hear from scores of workers whose bogus self-employment gives rise to a life of insecurity and low wages."

The two MPs said in a letter to Business Secretary Greg Clark that none of the primary legislation needed to implement Mr Taylor's recommendations had been forthcoming.

The committees had continued to receive "worrying" evidence from workers, including taxi drivers on excessively long hours, confusion over the status of those on sleep-in shifts in social care, and ongoing problems enforcing rights, the MPs said.

The Government said last December it was taking forward 51 of the 53 recommendations made by Mr Taylor.

Mr Taylor, who is chief executive of the RSA, said: "The Government has progressed important parts of my package of proposals but those relying on primary legislation are more difficult.

"I welcome this all party support for moving more quickly to address outstanding issues particularly around employment status."