Employment Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 31: 31: Clause 18, page 16, line 16, at end insert— ““( ) On expulsion or exclusion from membership of a trade union on grounds of membership of a political party, a proper balance shall be struck on the facts and circumstances of the case as between the entitlement under the European Convention of Human Rights of the trade union of freedom of association and of the individual’s entitlement to seek or retain membership of the union; due account having been taken of any consequential adverse effect of employment.”” The noble Lord said: I shall speak also to Amendment No. 32. The amendment can be implemented at the discretion of the Government either in the Bill or by directions to the trade unions having legal effect. I have spoken to this procedural amendment to Clause 18 and to the ordained procedures with which it is concerned, the reasoning which it reflects, and the effect it would have on distorting the balance, if other safeguard amendments were to be carried, by a tight provision which, in effect, would destroy the substantial flexibility of these procedures. At this hour of night I do not want to go into any further discussion. Little can be said until we know what the Minister is going to do—we are delighted to see him in his place—but I do not suppose he is going to tell us what he is going to do because I do not suppose he knows. In those circumstances, I leave the going to the Minister. I beg to move.