Member

Amendment 263A in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Carter of Haslemere, and Amendment 263B in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, relate to the oversight and operational independence of enforcement officers. Through the Bill, we are creating the foundations on which we will establish the fair work agency as an executive agency of DBT. Drafting enforcement functions in the name of the Secretary of State, with the ability to delegate them, is a standard practice when setting up an executive agency, and that is exactly what the Bill does. I draw noble Lords’ attention to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. This team is responsible for enforcing domestic agency protections and is one of the three bodies being brought under the fair work agency umbrella. It is part of the department, and yet it operates free of political interference.