---

Gangmasters Licensing (Exclusions) Regulations 2006

I agree with my noble friend Lady Byford and the noble Lord, Lord Livsey, that these regulations are desperately needed and will greatly improve the law. Members of the Grand Committee will know that I have been involved in horticulture all my working life. I started self-employment in horticulture as a sole trader. Many of the gangmasters we are talking about in these regulations, whether involved in shellfish picking, horticulture or farming, will be sole traders. Rule 3(1) provides that a gangmaster’s licence will be granted only to a business. In law, does the word ““business”” cover the operations of a sole trader? If not, the good gangmasters and those who employ the services of a gangmaster could be unfairly disadvantaged. One would not want that to happen.