Clause 31 - Negotiating bodies
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
Public Bill Committees, 26 February 2004, 12:00 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge, Conservative)
I was concluding my remarks when we were interrupted. I would like to know whether the Minister recognises and intends that there should not be separate national negotiating forums for Wales, England and Scotland. That is not to say that there should be a single negotiating structure, as there may be horizontally separate negotiating structures for different groups of employees. If his intention is as I have described, how does he intend to ensure that it can be given effect, if he is in the position of imposing the negotiating machinery via the powers in this clause?