Employment Bill [HL]

I congratulate all noble Lords who have added their names to the amendment. This is a very big subject and I am very grateful that we have this opportunity to discuss it. The only hope is that the Government will take it over, as it is too big a fare to leave to ACAS or just to have an affirmative resolution supporting a code of practice. This is what is happening in the new age. I read by chance the article to which the noble Lord referred and was shocked to the core. The question is simple to put: what is lawful and what is not? The code of practice would have to show which side of the division something fell or did not fall. It is quite beyond ACAS to do that; it would have to be dealt with in a government Bill on a proper basis. In the mean time, some step could be taken by the Government—a temporary step if they wished—to shore things up until there is a Bill that deals with the matter. This has to be dealt with more seriously, not only in Report on this Bill.