HC Deb 08 June 1981 vol 6 cc224-5
Mr. Alexander Fletcher

I beg to move amendment No. 82, in page 42, line 17, leave out '(ii)'.

Mr. Speaker

With this it may be convenient to take Government amendments Nos. 83, 85 and 86.

Mr. Fletcher

When the Bill was in Committee my hon. Friend the Member for Argyll (Mr. MacKay) pointed out that under new sections 92 and 95, as drafted, an associaton or group of associations commanding a majority on the teachers' side of a negotiating committee might be able to alter the balance of representation to their own advantage. The purpose of these amendments is to rectify that.

Mr. Millan

Unlike some of the other amendments, this is not a drafting amendment. It is of considerable consequence and I think that it deals with a point that I raised in my Second Reading, speech. This certainly represents an improvement and avoids what could have been an injustice to the smaller teacher associations.

Mr. Maxton

I want to place on record the fact that I cannot agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan). I do not believe that the amendment is an improvement to the Bill. I believe that it should be left to trades unions and teacher organisations to take these decisions, without the Secretary of State having this type of power.

Amendment agreed to.

Further amendments made: No. 83, in page 42, line 32 leave out from beginning to 'above' in line 34 and insert 'subsection (3)(a)'.

No. 85, in page 45, line 28 leave out '(ii)'.

No. 86, in page 45, line 43 leave out from beginning to 'above' in line 1 on page 46 and insert 'subsection (3) (a)'.—[Mr. Alexander Fletcher.]

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