Employment Bill [Lords]

The ECHR discussed such rights in the ruling. Of course, there are rights to expression and freedoms of association, and the ruling touches on both. During the Bill's progress through the other place, there was much discussion of that issue, and the Government decided to amend clause 18 to add additional safeguards on the use of such powers. The version in the Bill also takes into account the views of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and others who felt that that the clause did not provide sufficient safeguards against possible abuse. They argued in favour of greater protection for individuals. The clause, although amended, still provides for compatibility with the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights. As long as trade unions act responsibly—I believe that they will—they should be able to act in accordance with the judgment. The Bill makes important changes to key areas of employment law, especially with regard to the effective enforcement of the laws passed in this Parliament. It will save businesses and individuals time and money through a widely supported reform of the dispute resolution framework. It provides more rigorous enforcement of the minimum wage and employment agency standards to benefit both the low-paid and the law-abiding businesses. It also clarifies the position of cadet force adult volunteers, who do such valuable work in the community, and allows necessary expenses to be paid to individuals carrying out voluntary work. It also makes necessary changes, as a result of an ECHR ruling, to trade union membership law. All in all, the Bill continues support for economic prosperity and fairness in the workplace, which we have promoted over the past decade. We have one of the highest employment rates in the G8 and among the lowest unemployment rates. We are rated by the World Bank as one of the best countries in the world in which to do business. We want to keep that record and to ensure that Britain is also one of the best countries in the world in which to work. I commend the Bill to the House.