Employment Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am afraid that I am not happy with that response. I am sad, again, that I do not have the noble Lord, Lord Wedderburn, here to argue the case better than I can. However, I quote from what he said in Committee: "““To act in a judicial capacity is totally different from acting as a mediator. Once you have acted as a mediator, you have taken positions on the arguments. It is incomprehensible to me to understand why the Government would resist, as I have suggested … an amendment to the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007””." Earlier, on the subject of consent, he made his argument even clearer: "““Even with the consent of the parties, it should surely not be proper””.—[Official Report, 4/2/08; col. GC 491-92.]" This is a very small amendment. I appreciate that many of the noble Lord’s friends may be away in Crewe and Nantwich, but on this occasion I prefer to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 14) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 85; Not-Contents, 176.