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Lords amendment: No. 25, in page 24, line 19, at end insert—
("(2A) Instead of consulting such other persons as the appropriate authority considers it appropriate to consult under subsection (2) above, the authority may require the Health and Safety Commission or, as the case may be, the Health and Safety Agency for Northern Ireland to consult such persons as it considers appropriate for the purpose of deciding how it should respond to consultation under that subsection.
(2B) Instead of consulting a person whom the appropriate authority considers it appropriate to consult under subsection (2) above, the authority may require the Health and Safety Commission or, as the case may be, the Health and Safety Agency for Northern Ireland to consult the person for the purpose of deciding how it should respond to consultation under that subsection.
(2C) The appropriate authority may require consultation under subsection (2A) or (2B) above to be carried out in accordance with the authority's directions.")
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
The amendment deals with the health and safety matters in the Bill. It was a matter of great debate and concern—on the Floor of the House, in Committee and in the House of Lords—that drastic powers were being given to the Secretary of State to sweep away health and safety protection. It was almost at the Secretary of State's discretion, with minimal safeguards for workers who have suffered from the failure of health and safety legislation, especially the lack of inspection in recent years.
We do not think it right that health and safety matters should be deregulated in the way that the Government propose. Although, again, arguments in the other place have persuaded the Government that they were going too far, we certainly do not think that the current proposals command widespread support.
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansWithout this amendment, the Secretary of State could not authorise the Health and 1519 Safety Commission to carry out consultation on his behalf, and consultations already undertaken would have to be duplicated. The amendment makes consultation more flexible, and allows the Secretary of State to authorise the HSC to consult on his behalf. I commend it to the House.
§ Question put and agreed to.