Public Bill Committees
Gangmasters (Licensing) Bill

• Gangmasters (Licensing) Bill, 1st sitting (3 speeches)
   
  • Clause 1 - Interpretation (19 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 2 - Requirement to hold a licence (0 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill. The Chairman: With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: new clause 4—Acting as a gangmaster. New clause...
  • Clause 3 - Administration and enforcement (24 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 4 - Obligations of principals (0 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill. The Chairman: With this it will be convenient to discuss new clause 13—Offences: entering into arrangements with gangmasters. Mr....
  • Clause 6 - Short title, commencement and extent (0 speeches)
    Amendments made: No. 6, in clause 6, page 4, line 9, leave out subsection (2). No. 7, in clause 6, page 4, line 12, leave out from 'England' to end and insert 'and Wales, Scotland and...
  • New clause 1 - The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (0 speeches)
    '(1) There shall be a body known as the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (in this Act referred to as ''the Authority''). (2) The functions of the Authority shall be— (a) to carry out the...
  • New clause 2 - Directions etc. by the Secretary of State (0 speeches)
    '(1) In carrying out its functions the Authority shall comply with any general or specific directions given to it in writing by the Secretary of State. (2) Before giving any such directions the...
  • New clause 3 - Work to which this Act applies (0 speeches)
    '(1) The work to which this Act applies is— (a) agricultural work, (b) gathering shellfish, and (c) processing or packaging— (i) any produce derived from agricultural work, or...
  • New clause 4 - Acting as a gangmaster (0 speeches)
    '(1) This section defines what is meant in this Act by a person acting as a gangmaster. (2) A person (''A'') acts as a gangmaster if he supplies a worker to do work to which this Act applies...
  • New clause 5 - Territorial scope of application (0 speeches)
    '(1) The work to which this Act applies is work— (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) on any portion of the shore or bed of the sea, or of an estuary or tidal river, adjacent to the United...
  • New clause 6 - Prohibition of unlicensed activities (0 speeches)
    '(1) A person shall not act as a gangmaster except under the authority of a licence. (2) Regulations made by the Secretary of State may specify circumstances in which a licence is not...
  • New clause 7 - Grant of licence (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Authority may grant a licence if it thinks fit. (2) A licence shall describe the activities authorised by it and shall be granted for such period as the Authority thinks fit. (3) A...
  • New clause 8 - General power of Authority to make rules (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Authority may make such rules as it thinks fit in connection with the licensing of persons acting as gangmasters. (2) The rules may, in particular— (a) prescribe the form and...
  • New clause 9 - Modification, revocation or transfer of licence (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Authority may by notice in writing to the licensee modify or revoke any licence granted to him (including any of the conditions of that licence)— (a) with the consent of the...
  • New clause 10 - Appeals (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Secretary of State shall by regulations make provision for an appeal against any decision of the Authority— (a) to refuse an application for a licence, (b) as to the conditions...
  • New clause 11 - Register of licences (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Authority shall establish and maintain a register of persons licensed under this Act. (2) The register shall contain such particulars as the Authority may determine of every person who...
  • New clause 12 - Offences: acting as a gangmaster, being in possession of false documents etc. (0 speeches)
    '(1) A person commits an offence if he acts as a gangmaster in contravention of section (Prohibition of unlicensed activities) (prohibition of unlicensed activities). For this purpose a person...
  • New clause 13 - Offences: entering into arrangements with gangmasters (0 speeches)
    '(1) A person commits an offence if— (a) he enters into arrangements under which a person (''the gangmaster'') supplies him with workers or services, and (b) the gangmaster in supplying...
  • New clause 14 - Offences: supplementary provisions (0 speeches)
    '(1) An enforcement officer (see section (Enforcement and compliance officers)) has the powers of arrest mentioned in subsection (2) (in addition to powers under section 24(4) and (5) of the...
  • New clause 15 - Enforcement and compliance officers (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Secretary of State may appoint officers (''enforcement officers'') to act for the purposes of this Act— (a) in enforcing the provisions of section (Prohibition of unlicensed...
  • New clause 16 - Powers of officers (0 speeches)
    '(1) An enforcement officer or a compliance officer acting for the purposes of this Act shall have power for the performance of his duties— (a) to require the production by a relevant...
  • New clause 17 - Entry by warrant (0 speeches)
    '(1) If a justice of the peace is satisfied by written information on oath that there are reasonable grounds for an enforcement officer to enter relevant premises for the purpose of ascertaining...
  • New clause 18 - Obstruction of officers (0 speeches)
    '(1) A person commits an offence who— (a) intentionally obstructs an enforcement officer or compliance officer who is acting in the exercise of his functions under this Act, or (b)...
  • New clause 19 - Information relating to gangmasters (0 speeches)
    '(1) Information held by any person for the purposes of, or for any purpose connected with, the exercise of functions under this Act— (a) may be supplied to any other person for use for...
  • New clause 20 - Application of Act to bodies corporate (0 speeches)
    '(1) A licence under this Act may be granted to a body corporate. (2) A licence granted to a body corporate authorises activities carried on by the body through such persons representing, or...
  • New clause 21 - Application of Act to unincorporated associations (0 speeches)
    '(1) A licence under this Act may be granted to an unincorporated association (other than a partnership). (2) A licence granted to an unincorporated association authorises activities carried on...
  • New clause 22 - Application of Act to partnerships (0 speeches)
    '(1) A licence under this Act may be granted to a partnership in the firm name. (2) Where the partnership is not regarded as a legal person under the law of the country or territory under which...
  • New clause 23 - Annual report (0 speeches)
    'The Secretary of State shall each year lay a report before each House of Parliament on the operation of this Act.'—[Jim Sheridan.] Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to...
  • New clause 24 - Financial provision (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Secretary of State may make payments to the Authority of such amounts, at such times and on such conditions (if any) as he considers appropriate. (2) The Authority shall (unless the...
  • New clause 25 - Regulations, rules and orders (0 speeches)
    '(1) In this Act, unless otherwise indicated, ''prescribed'' means prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State. (2) Any power to make regulations or rules under this Act includes...
  • New clause 26 - Meaning of ''worker'' (0 speeches)
    '(1) In this Act ''worker'' means an individual who does work to which this Act applies. (2) A person is not prevented from being a worker for the purposes of this Act by reason of the fact...
  • New clause 27 - Exclusion of provisions relating to employment agencies and businesses (0 speeches)
    '(1) The Employment Agencies Act 1973 does not apply to an employment agency or an employment business in so far as it consists of activities for which a licence is required under this Act. (2)...
  • New clause 28 - Application of Act to Northern Ireland (0 speeches)
    'The provisions of Schedule (Application of Act to Northern Ireland) to this Act have effect with respect to the application of this Act to Northern Ireland.'.—[Jim Sheridan.] Brought up,...
  • New clause 29 - Commencement and transitional provision (0 speeches)
    '(1) The provisions of this Act come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint. (2) Different days may be appointed for different purposes and for different areas. ...
  • New schedule 1 - 'The Authority: consequential amendments of enactments (0 speeches)
    Public Records Act 1958 1 In Schedule 1 to the Public Records Act 1958 (definition of public records), in Part 2 of the Table at the end of paragraph 3, at the appropriate place insert— ...
  • New schedule 2 - 'Application of Act to Northern Ireland (0 speeches)
    Introduction 1 (1) The following provisions have effect in relation to the application of this Act to Northern Ireland. (2) For the purposes of this Schedule the relevant Northern Ireland...
  • Title (2 speeches)
    Amendment made: No. 9, in title, line 1, leave out from 'of' to 'and' in line 2 and insert 'activities involving the supply or use of workers in connection with agricultural work, the...