---

Employment Bill [HL]

I am certainly not a government adviser on what we are discussing today. I am a government adviser only on some aspects of constitutional reform, of which this does not form part. I went to see the Minister with the noble Lord, Lord Morris, as two Back-Benchers from our respective parties seeking to achieve a friendly and sensible compromise in everyone’s interest. It does not seem sensible to have a great battle, leading perhaps even to ping-pong between the two Houses, on issues that ought to be capable of being resolved in a sensible way. I have not told the Committee, nor should I or would I, what the Minister told us because that is not appropriate. All I can do is to suggest safeguards that Ministers may consider before Report. This is a rather boringly long way of saying that I believe that Clause 17 must stand part because it is essential and that we will have to find safeguards, which will need to be built in either on Report or at Third Reading.