Member

Bad practice spreads. It undermines good employers and it could leave workers without the protection of a trade union in workplaces where the employer is willing to exploit any loopholes in current legislation. I trust that my noble friend the Minister will take on board the need to clarify the current legislation and to recognise the weight of concern that so many have expressed. A simple addition to Section 145 of the Act, which my amendment proposes, would close off the loophole exploited by Livv Housing. It would mean that the employer could not circumvent existing protections and it would also mean that our judicial system would not be clogged up with unnecessary legal cases. So I ask my noble friend the Minister to find a little time in what I know to be a very busy schedule to find a way to bring clarity to Section 145 prior to Report. I assure him that my amendment is intended to be helpful—it is not sacrosanct—and that I will sit down with him at any point to seek a way through.