Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

moved Amendment No. 340:"Page 33, line 10, after ““are”” insert—" ““(a)””    The noble Duke said: In moving Amendment No. 340, I shall speak also to Amendment No. 341. Amendment No. 340 is a paving amendment for Amendment No. 341, dealing with volunteers working under the direction of an officer of a local authority. Volunteers are undertaking an even wider range of activities and local authorities are becoming quite adept at setting up voluntary organisations. In rural areas in particular they now accept considerable responsibilities. I have in mind villagers who man the equipment used to revive heart attack victims, others who help to run community centres and post offices, and yet others who maintain rights of way and install kissing gates. It seems highly likely that a local authority may be authorised to perform a particular function and will wish to pass the discharge of that function to one or more people who are not remunerated and as such do not count as employees. That is the area we wish to address. I beg to move.