New Clause 2
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [Lords]
9:15 am
Tobias Ellwood (Whip, Whips; Bournemouth East, Conservative)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
It is a pleasure to work under your tutelage today, Mrs. Humble. It has been interesting to be part of a major overhaul of the entire enforcement system, particularly with respect to bailiffs. It is well overdue, and we ask the Minister to consider going a step further.
The new clause would be a useful, radical and simple provision. The entire process is complex and confusing in law. The new clause is straightforward: it would require bailiffs to be given a uniform. That would not replace the ID that they are expected to carry, but work in addition to it. In researching the subject, I was interested to come across a BBC documentary on bailiffs. It included some undercover work, which showed the attitudes of people whose goods were taken away and of the bailiffs, who worked for private companies, many of whom were labelled as hired thugs. That does not do the industry any good whatsoever.
The new clause would put a more acceptable face on the work of the bailiffs. We see uniforms used in many walks of life, not only in the military, but in other security companies and in the NHS. A uniform shows a degree of authority; it shows status and helps to generate respect. That is exactly what is required of bailiffs, particularly those who work for councils, private bailiffs and so on. That is why we wish to introduce the new clause.
In rare circumstances, bailiffs operate in conditions in which they are not sure what to expect. There might be a requirement to wear additional protection, which could be part of the consideration of the uniform.
The new clause says that the Crown employee
‘must at all times wear a uniform as prescribed by the Secretary of State.’.
It would be fair to say, Mrs. Humble—this is no reflection whatsoever on your chairmanship—that the Bill has not been the sexiest one that has gone through the House. [Interruption.] It is not a Bill that immediately grabs the limelight. However, judging by the level of noise that that comment has generated, I am pleased to see that perhaps my thoughts on the Bill should be put into question. The way that the new clause is written provides an opportunity for the Minister to throw a little public limelight on to the Bill and on to the workings and proceedings of the Committee. The Minister might consider coming up with the first design of that uniform.