Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill

My Lords, I have listened carefully to the Minister, but I have found little in his words to alter my opinion. He talked about small firms that do not have HR departments. That is part of the problem. This provision is somehow meant to be a remedy for that situation. It does not matter what size a company is. Small firms often fall down because they think that HR is something that they do not have to have any expertise in. I would submit that no matter what the size of the company, if it does not understand its obligations to an employee, eventually the situation is going to end in tears. I do not believe that what the Government are proposing is fair and balanced, and we do not believe that it will encourage employers to be more professional in the way they treat their employees. For these and the reasons we expressed at length in Committee, I wish to test the opinion of the House.