Temporary and Agency Workers (Equal Treatment) Bill

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that most interesting intervention. I am not sure what side he is arguing on, but it was interesting nevertheless. The only rights that agency workers do not enjoy are those on which the flexibility of the agency model depends. Full-time staff rarely get full employment rights until they complete a probationary period of six months. The point has been made that if temporary workers receive full rights from day one, they will have more rights than permanent staff. There is one area, however, in which the Bill could be useful. Some 38 per cent. of agency staff are in place for more than six months. That clearly needs to be tackled. Where temporary and agency workers are employees in all but name, they should be entitled to full employment equality after a certain period. Employers' organisations acknowledge that. The Liberal Democrats would welcome negotiations between the Government, trade unions and the industry to find a workable solution to stop that form of exploitation. As we have heard this morning, the olive branch is being held out. The Liberal Democrats would be happy to support a vote for the closure motion and a vote for Second Reading, if one is called. However, we will oppose the Bill on Third Reading unless it comes back substantially amended after negotiations with employers, and particularly with bodies representing the employment agency industry.