Clause 33 - Arbitration by Secretary of State
Railways and Transport Safety Bill
9:45 am
Mr Don Foster (Bath, Liberal Democrat)
Clause 33 refers to a dispute between the British Transport police authority and the person who has entered into a police service agreement. We are discussing an agreement that has already been reached, but over which there is a dispute about the way in which it operates. The problem is that I do not understand why the clause does not cover the problem of parties unable to reach agreement on the introduction of a police services agreement. If there is disagreement, how will such matters be handled? Do we simply rely on clause 32, which states that people must enter into an agreement anyway, and that if they do not like it, there is no opportunity to do anything about it?
Clause 32 suggests that people are required to enter the agreement whether or not they like the
''terms construction or operation of the agreement''.
Do they enter into it under clause 32 and then, under clause 33, immediately have a dispute about it? That would be bizarre.