Work and Families Bill

My right hon. Friend made that offer—if it was possible—but he also said that we need to ensure that we get the detail right and to consult thoroughly and widely, and we are happy to do so with Opposition parties. I have certainly done that when involved with previous Bills, and we welcome any support from Opposition Members in the way that we try to administer doing so. The regulations will go through the affirmative procedure—Parliament will have an opportunity to discuss them—and that is the proper way to proceed. My hon. Friend the Member for Tooting is quite right. He was consistent during the debates in Committee. He is attacking not the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mrs. Laing) personally, but the idea that comes from the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron), who says that there are times to stand up to business and times to show that family-friendly employment policies are being considered—a point made in an earlier discussion by the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson). However, the evidence shows that the right hon. Member for Witney is attacking paternity leave and running behind what the CBI has said about it. That is why my hon. Friend the Member for Tooting is right to be consistent in saying that those warm words are not good enough and that actions count. We need to see those actions. It is important to review how the system works for the reasons outlined by the hon. Member for Angus. We want it to work. We want it to be appropriate. We want it to be right. However, the annual review suggested in new clause 3 is not appropriate; it would not represent a good use of taxpayers’ money—something that is of genuine concern to the hon. Member for Epping Forest. For those reasons, I hope that she accepts the spirit of what we are trying to achieve. I welcome any contribution that she wants to make on the regulations when they are drafted. I also hope that, in light of my recommendations, she will withdraw the motion.