§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of external legal advice he has received in respect of the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to his proposed new agency arrangements for trunk roads and motorways. [24103]
§ Mr. WattsI have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Joan Walley, dated 2 April 1996:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about whether copies of the external legal advice we have received in respect of TUPE would be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.We have not considered it necessary to seek such external legal advice in relation to our new agency arrangements for the management of the trunk road network. Our policy for dealing with TUPE has been developed in close liaison with departmental lawyers. We have consistently stated that we do not consider it appropriate for the Highways Agency to comment on whether TUPE would apply when the new agencies are introduced. We do however appreciate that tenderers for the new agencies will require employee information in order for them to assess the implications of the TUPE Regulations on their bids. We are considering how such information could be made available.