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Health and Safety (Offences) Bill

My Lords, I said in my opening speech, and meant it, that it was a pleasure for me to introduce the Bill in this House. That pleasure was reinforced by the contributions that we have heard. It was particularly reinforced by the fact that my noble friend on the Front Bench answered most of the difficult questions. This is a terrific arrangement: I introduce the Bill, and he answers the tricky questions. I agree with most of the comments made. It was reassuring to receive support for the Bill’s principles from everyone who contributed. I know where the noble Earl, Lord Mar and Kellie, and my noble friend Lord Berkeley are coming from, as they share my enthusiasm for the rail industry. I could not agree more with my noble friend’s comment that the railways get a very unfair press, particularly in relation to road transport. I declare an interest, in coming from at least three generations of railwaymen. Frustration is felt by employees in the railway industry, the vast majority of whom work phenomenally hard, including those whose front-line job is concerned with health and safety, those in signalling departments and others. It is grossly unfair to suggest that they are doing anything other than an extremely good job, and the overall record of safety on the railway proves that. I found myself wanting to say, ““Hear, hear””, to the noble Lord, Lord Addington. He pleaded—which is how I felt two or three weeks ago when I picked this up—the absolute need for clarity in the legislative work that we do. I hope that, in the expositions that my noble friend and I have given, we have clarified some of the technicalities in the Bill. I had a sense that I might have one or two things in common with the noble Lord, Lord Taylor of Holbeach; I had not realised that parliamentary failure was one of them. I greatly enjoyed his contribution. He made the crucial point, which was valuable to hear from him as a businessman, that good businesses have absolutely nothing to fear from this legislation. It is the bad businesses that have things to worry about. I emphatically agree that, at the end of the day, we are looking for the right kind of culture, applied with that great skill of common sense. The most valued characteristic of all legislators is a good dose of common sense. You cannot get a degree in it but, my word, it is useful to have when we try to put through legislation. I am grateful for the support that I have received. On Question, Bill read a second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.