My Noble Friend Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent made the following statement on Friday 19 September:

I wish to report to the House on the Government’s approach to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles and today’s publication of a joint framework agreed between the UK Government and the Government...

My Noble Friend Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent made the following statement on Friday 19 September:

I wish to report to the House on the Government’s approach to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles and today’s publication of a joint framework agreed between the UK Government and the Government...

I wish to report to the House on the Government’s approach to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles and today’s publication of a joint framework agreed between the UK Government and the Government of Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will provide an update to...

I wish to report to the House on the Government’s approach to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles and today’s publication of a joint framework agreed between the UK Government and the Government of Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will provide an update to...

Lords committee stage ninth day. Clause 87 agreed to. Schedule 7, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 88 to 90 agreed to. (Part 2 of 2).

Lords committee stage ninth day. Clause 87 agreed to. Schedule 7, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 88 to 90 agreed to. (Part 2 of 2).

Moved by

Lord Hunt of Wirral

263: After Clause 86, insert the following new Clause—

“Consultation on trade union legislation

(1) The Secretary of State must initiate a consultation on the effects of the provisions in Part 4 of this Act on the operation of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

(2)...

Moved by

Lord Hunt of Wirral

263: After Clause 86, insert the following new Clause—

“Consultation on trade union legislation

(1) The Secretary of State must initiate a consultation on the effects of the provisions in Part 4 of this Act on the operation of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

(2)...

My Lords, Amendments 263 and 330 standing in my name require the Secretary of State to conduct a consultation on the effects of the provisions in Part 4 on the operation of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and to report on the outcome and any proposed...

My Lords, Amendments 263 and 330 standing in my name require the Secretary of State to conduct a consultation on the effects of the provisions in Part 4 on the operation of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and to report on the outcome and any proposed...

My Lords, the reason I support the amendment is that it links making sure we get the consultations done and then not proceeding with the legislation until that has been printed. This goes to the heart of trying to understand, in effect, the detail of the Bill and how it...

My Lords, the reason I support the amendment is that it links making sure we get the consultations done and then not proceeding with the legislation until that has been printed. This goes to the heart of trying to understand, in effect, the detail of the Bill and how it...

My Lords, I just want to intervene very briefly as well. I have raised numerous times that I worry that small and medium-sized businesses have been completely left out of the debate. I spend all my time speaking to small and medium-sized businesses, and most of them are very unaware...

My Lords, I just want to intervene very briefly as well. I have raised numerous times that I worry that small and medium-sized businesses have been completely left out of the debate. I spend all my time speaking to small and medium-sized businesses, and most of them are very unaware...

My Lords, likewise, I have spent the last 40 years advising SME businesses—not always with success, but I do not have a bad track record. Therefore, I support my noble friend Lord Hunt of Wirral’s very appropriate and wise amendment. I know that he too has spent many years advising...

My Lords, likewise, I have spent the last 40 years advising SME businesses—not always with success, but I do not have a bad track record. Therefore, I support my noble friend Lord Hunt of Wirral’s very appropriate and wise amendment. I know that he too has spent many years advising...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who contributed. I will pick up the points that the noble Baroness, Lady Verma, and the noble Lord, Lord Leigh, made about SMEs. Last Wednesday, I gave a speech at an event on the Commons Terrace to a group of SMEs.

Most of...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who contributed. I will pick up the points that the noble Baroness, Lady Verma, and the noble Lord, Lord Leigh, made about SMEs. Last Wednesday, I gave a speech at an event on the Commons Terrace to a group of SMEs.

Most of...

Can the Minister tell me what percentage of the consultation was among BME businesses?

Can the Minister tell me what percentage of the consultation was among BME businesses?

I thank the noble Baroness for her question. I do not have the figure, but I will find it out and write to her.

The Bill will, of course, continue to be subject to parliamentary scrutiny in the usual way. We will also be conducting further public consultation on certain

parts of...

I thank the noble Baroness for her question. I do not have the figure, but I will find it out and write to her.

The Bill will, of course, continue to be subject to parliamentary scrutiny in the usual way. We will also be conducting further public consultation on certain

parts of...

Will the Minister clarify something? In relation to the jolly reception he went to on the Terrace where the delegates were rapturously applauding the introduction of the Bill—in fact, going further—did he say that they were all from B Corp companies, with all the ramifications that brings?

Will the Minister clarify something? In relation to the jolly reception he went to on the Terrace where the delegates were rapturously applauding the introduction of the Bill—in fact, going further—did he say that they were all from B Corp companies, with all the ramifications that brings?

I would not say all, but most of them were members of B Corporations.

I would not say all, but most of them were members of B Corporations.

Further to that point, will the Minister clarify whether he is talking about medium-sized companies, which might just about cope with the bureaucracy of being a B Corp, or about the vast majority of businesses in this country, which are small and micro companies? There is a big difference between...

Further to that point, will the Minister clarify whether he is talking about medium-sized companies, which might just about cope with the bureaucracy of being a B Corp, or about the vast majority of businesses in this country, which are small and micro companies? There is a big difference between...

I thank the noble Baroness for her question. I am very clear about micro-businesses, medium-sized businesses and small businesses. At the event I attended, we had everybody. Not all were B Corps. We had owner-run businesses, businesses with just one or two employees and medium-sized businesses as well.

I thank the noble Baroness for her question. I am very clear about micro-businesses, medium-sized businesses and small businesses. At the event I attended, we had everybody. Not all were B Corps. We had owner-run businesses, businesses with just one or two employees and medium-sized businesses as well.

My Lords, I am disappointed that the Minister does not wish to engage in responding positively to this amendment. My noble friend Lady Coffey put it very much in context, and my noble friend Lady Verma stressed again the complexity of what we are talking about so far as small...

My Lords, I am disappointed that the Minister does not wish to engage in responding positively to this amendment. My noble friend Lady Coffey put it very much in context, and my noble friend Lady Verma stressed again the complexity of what we are talking about so far as small...

Moved by

Lord Sharpe of Epsom

263ZA: Clause 87, page 107, line 12, at end insert—

“(3A) A person may not be appointed as an enforcement officer under this section unless they—

(a) possess professional qualifications relevant to the enforcement of labour market legislation;

(b) have undergone prescribed training in the exercise of statutory powers,...

Moved by

Lord Sharpe of Epsom

263ZA: Clause 87, page 107, line 12, at end insert—

“(3A) A person may not be appointed as an enforcement officer under this section unless they—

(a) possess professional qualifications relevant to the enforcement of labour market legislation;

(b) have undergone prescribed training in the exercise of statutory powers,...