Clause 52
Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [Lords]
9:30 am
Pat McFadden (Minister of State (Employment Relations and Postal Affairs), Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform; Wolverhampton South East, Labour)
I absolutely understand the point that the hon. Gentleman is making and I agree with him about not being at a disadvantage if one pursues the processes that are outlined in the Bill. We had an exchange on this subject a few moments ago. He was keen to say to me that I had clarified what had not been clear in the Lords. I should make it clear that this is not a new change in the Bill; it is how the tribunal system will work under section 29 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, which created first-tier tribunals. The tribunal has the power to award
“The costs of and incidental to”
any proceedings before it. That covers the point that the hon. Gentleman is making but it is not an addition to the Bill; it is actually already in place in that Act, which created the tribunals to which the appeals will be made.