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Employment Bill [HL]

I am sure that I can associate everyone on these Benches with my thanks to my noble friend Lord Bach for providing the draft of the ACAS disciplinary and grievance code. As regards this amendment, at Second Reading, the Minister said that, "““around 75 per cent of claims made to an employment tribunal are resolved before reaching a hearing—a substantial portion with the involvement of ACAS””.—[Official Report, 7/1/08; col. 637.]" I take it to be common ground on this Bill that disputes at work are best solved by procedures at the point of work, informally and very often with the help of ACAS. It seems quite natural therefore to put up the status of that procedure to a central function of ACAS rather than a minor one which the legislation at the moment suggests. I therefore support the amendment.