Motion to consider. Agreed to on division (10 votes to 3).

Motion to consider. Agreed to on division (10 votes to 3).

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I start by sharing with the Committee why we are introducing the code for noble Lords’ consideration today. The plan to make work pay included a commitment to simplify the process for trade union recognition. The Employment Rights Act 2025 updated the legal framework for statutory trade union...

My Lords, I start by sharing with the Committee why we are introducing the code for noble Lords’ consideration today. The plan to make work pay included a commitment to simplify the process for trade union recognition. The Employment Rights Act 2025 updated the legal framework for statutory trade union...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for opening this important debate on the draft Code of Practice: Access and Unfair Practices During the Recognition and Derecognition Process. By way of background, as the Minister knows, the Government have committed to cutting the administrative burden on businesses by 25%...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for opening this important debate on the draft Code of Practice: Access and Unfair Practices During the Recognition and Derecognition Process. By way of background, as the Minister knows, the Government have committed to cutting the administrative burden on businesses by 25%...

My Lords, I will speak in praise of the guidance that has been produced by ACAS. I declare my interests as a former general secretary of a major teaching union and as a former president of the TUC. I read the guidance over the last few days. It is balanced,...

My Lords, I will speak in praise of the guidance that has been produced by ACAS. I declare my interests as a former general secretary of a major teaching union and as a former president of the TUC. I read the guidance over the last few days. It is balanced,...

Before I respond to the questions from the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, I need to make a correction. When I referred to the small business exemption to the statutory recognition process, I said 25 workers, but it should have been 21 workers.

I am grateful to my noble friend Lady Bousted...

Before I respond to the questions from the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, I need to make a correction. When I referred to the small business exemption to the statutory recognition process, I said 25 workers, but it should have been 21 workers.

I am grateful to my noble friend Lady Bousted...

My Lords, I am listening very carefully to what the Minister is saying, but he still has not explained the extent to which such a huge percentage—nearly 100% of those consulted—did not feel that the Government had listened carefully to their points on the code. He also has not explained...

My Lords, I am listening very carefully to what the Minister is saying, but he still has not explained the extent to which such a huge percentage—nearly 100% of those consulted—did not feel that the Government had listened carefully to their points on the code. He also has not explained...

I thank the noble Lord for that. I will try to address the whole thing about security and additional access. The code does not require the employer to give the union, including any union official who is not one of the employer’s workers, information that would be in breach of...

I thank the noble Lord for that. I will try to address the whole thing about security and additional access. The code does not require the employer to give the union, including any union official who is not one of the employer’s workers, information that would be in breach of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether rights for trade unions to access workplaces will allow trade union representatives to access workplaces (a) during strike days and (b) to influence strike ballots taking place in the workplace.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether rights for trade unions to access workplaces will allow trade union representatives to access workplaces (a) during strike days and (b) to influence strike ballots taking place in the workplace.

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question.

My Lords, I shall also speak to the accompanying Code of Practice on Electronic and Workplace Ballots for Statutory Trade Union Ballots. I also note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe of Epsom, and I am glad of the opportunity to debate these important reforms. I...

My Lords, I shall also speak to the accompanying Code of Practice on Electronic and Workplace Ballots for Statutory Trade Union Ballots. I also note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe of Epsom, and I am glad of the opportunity to debate these important reforms. I...

Moved by

Lord Sharpe of Epsom

Moved by

Lord Sharpe of Epsom

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for explaining and introducing the statutory instruments, to the first of which, as he has noted, I have tabled a regret amendment. The instruments risk making it easier, quicker and cheaper for unions to secure a mandate for strike action, while...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for explaining and introducing the statutory instruments, to the first of which, as he has noted, I have tabled a regret amendment. The instruments risk making it easier, quicker and cheaper for unions to secure a mandate for strike action, while...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe. However, I oppose the regret amendment and support these measures, which bring statutory union balloting into the 21st century, modernising an outdated postal-only system. Our primary purpose must be to make it easier for members to participate...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe. However, I oppose the regret amendment and support these measures, which bring statutory union balloting into the 21st century, modernising an outdated postal-only system. Our primary purpose must be to make it easier for members to participate...

My Lords, I declare an interest as the chair of ACAS, as set out in the register. I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for his detailed introduction to these two SIs.

As we know, these proposals are part of the rollout of the Employment Rights Act reforms, which...

My Lords, I declare an interest as the chair of ACAS, as set out in the register. I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for his detailed introduction to these two SIs.

As we know, these proposals are part of the rollout of the Employment Rights Act reforms, which...

My Lords, I support the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe. The strength of this country over the past 20 or 30 years has been in its very flexible labour market. Those of us, like me, who have, from time to time, managed staff in European labour...

My Lords, I support the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe. The strength of this country over the past 20 or 30 years has been in its very flexible labour market. Those of us, like me, who have, from time to time, managed staff in European labour...

I need to declare an interest because yesterday morning, in the post, I received my ballot paper for the election of the general secretary of my union. I looked at it. Of course, I will be voting —I will not tell your Lordships for whom—but it seemed absurd that I...

I need to declare an interest because yesterday morning, in the post, I received my ballot paper for the election of the general secretary of my union. I looked at it. Of course, I will be voting —I will not tell your Lordships for whom—but it seemed absurd that I...

My Lords, I have been a trade union member for just over 67 years. That is longer than my membership of the two political parties put together. For the past 13 years, while I have been in this House, at different times I have been the president

of the British...

My Lords, I have been a trade union member for just over 67 years. That is longer than my membership of the two political parties put together. For the past 13 years, while I have been in this House, at different times I have been the president

of the British...

My Lords, today has been “Frank Sinatra day”—regrets, there have been a few—and we are thankful to the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, for this last one; it is the last but by no means least. It seemed a short time ago that we were discussing the issues raised by this...

My Lords, today has been “Frank Sinatra day”—regrets, there have been a few—and we are thankful to the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, for this last one; it is the last but by no means least. It seemed a short time ago that we were discussing the issues raised by this...