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Employment Bill [HL]

This arose because my noble friend Lord Wedderburn was away and I discussed the issue with the Clerks. I was advised that it did not fall within the Long Title of the Bill and so on, and therefore was not acceptable. I was concerned about the insistence that the amendment should not be printed. I said that since I was simply the second noble Lord on the list of supporters, I had no authority over the amendment and did not want to withdraw it in the absence of my noble friend. However, I e-mailed him and told him what the score was. The Clerk suggested an alternative which, when I received it, was one that I was quite certain my noble friend would not accept. I apologised to the Clerk and said that I could not accept it either. However, I am grateful for the intervention of the Leader of the House and I am sorry to have taken up so much of her time. Of course I am willing to accept whatever she thinks is the right thing to do.