Member

Turning to Amendment 142, we know that the Government are consulting on changes to the rules on collective redundancy consultation. That is welcome in principle, but consultation is meaningful only if it is listened to, and at this stage, the only thing that appears certain is uncertainty itself. Businesses have said that the removal of the one establishment test is unworkable. Previously, an employer knew exactly where they stood. If they were proposing 20 or more redundancies at one establishment, collective consultation was required. If those redundancies were spread across distinct sites or divisions for different reasons, then, unless they were linked, separate consultation could take place. That was a manageable, proportionate approach.