Contributions
2,132 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)The shadow Minister was quite right to refer back to our earlier debate on flexible working. Today, he certainly is the man with the golden pun, but this set of rules is slightly…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting)As a regional MP—a north-west Member—I am always looking to see where we can get more Government agencies out into the rest of the country. It is probably too early to say, but…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Data from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will be crucial for the investigation and enforcement of many different employment rights beyond the national minimum wage, which HMRC…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I am pleased that the shadow Minister recognises the need for these safeguards. As for who could accompany an enforcement officer, it would depend on the individual circumstances.…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Ah!09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Clause 78 will confer a power on the Secretary of State—although in practice it will be delegated to enforcement officers—to require a person to provide documents or information…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Clause 76 will require the Secretary of State to prepare and publish a labour market enforcement strategy every three years, which should give an assessment of levels of…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Improving the enforcement of workers’ rights is important and depends on access to the right information. Clause 78 introduces a power to obtain documents and information. The…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Fair points were made by the Opposition spokespeople. Clearly, the Secretary of State is ultimately responsible to Parliament for the operation of the fair work agency and the use…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 87, in clause 79, page 83, line 11, leave out “business”. The effect of this amendment and amendment 89 is that the power in clause 79 may be exercised to…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. Certainly that would be my understanding, but I will happily write to him to confirm that. I now have some more examples of…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I will speak first to amendments 87 to 89 and new clause 8, which are necessary because they represent a vital step forward in ensuring effective enforcement while respecting…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)The clause provides a safeguard to ensure the protection of any document or information that is subject to legal professional privilege. Such documents or information do not have…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting)I am grateful to the shadow Minister for not rehearsing the arguments, as we may end up having them every five minutes, given the number of technical amendments we will deal with…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Yes, the impact assessment sets out the one-off set-up costs. I am sure the shadow Minister can spend the lunch break looking at the detail. In terms of the current enforcement…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)The shadow Minister makes a reasonable point. Of course, this will all be subject to data protection legislation and the safeguards contained therein. It is also the case that, if…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 92, in clause 83, page 85, line 10, at end insert— “(aa) exercise any power conferred by section 79(2) or (4),”. This amendment would enable an enforcement…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Let me deal first with the usual concern raised by the shadow Minister about why we have had to table an amendment. He has probably noticed that schedule 6 contains a considerable…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)The shadow Minister raises some fair points. I commend him for the work he does on the loan charge, and that all-party group is important. Certainly, HMRC’s functions in terms of…09 Jan 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting)The clause refers to where provision is made for authorised enforcement officers to exercise relevant powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. Those powers are…09 Jan 2025