Clause 44 - dismissal procedures agreements
Employment Bill
Public Bill Committees, 22 January 2002, 11:30 am
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge, Conservative)
What does the Minister intend to do with the power that the clause gives him?
Mr Alan Johnson (Minister of State (Employment and the Regions), Department of Trade and Industry; Kingston upon Hull West & Hessle, Labour)
There has been only one agreement in relation to the clause, which was in the electrical contracting industry. Both sides agreed to withdraw the agreement after discussion last year. Once we enact the legislation, which is compliant with the Human Rights Act 1998, and introduce the new measures that the clause allows, it will be up to that and other industries to decide whether they want to set up a similar scheme, the purpose of which is to resolve disputes in the workplace rather than at employment tribunals. Incidentally, the ACAS arbitration scheme is fully compliant with the new terms.
Clause 44 ordered to stand part of the Bill.