Clause 2
Crown Employment (Nationality) Bill
Public Bill Committees, 15 July 2009, 9:30 am
Angela Smith (Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office; Basildon, Labour)
I beg to move amendment 1, in clause 2, page 1, line 17, after ‘also’, insert ‘(a)’.
Jimmy Hood (Lanark & Hamilton East, Labour)
With this it will be convenient to discuss Government amendment 2.
Angela Smith (Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office; Basildon, Labour)
Thank you, Mr. Hood. I welcome you to the Chair of the Committee, which I am convinced you will conduct with your customary briskness and good humour.
I would like to place on record my appreciation of my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon for, as he has already indicated, his tenacity and commitment to the Bill. He said that this is his seventh attempt, and I am convinced that the Bill is in the best shape possible and it has Government support.
The Government have tabled four amendments to clause 2, while a fifth is a starred amendment. I shall speak briefly to the amendments, which may be helpful to the Committee, and perhaps say something about the starred amendment. Would it be helpful to speak to all four amendments at the same time, rather than the two selected for consideration?
Angela Smith (Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office; Basildon, Labour)
Amendments 1 and 2 make it clear that the Government support the intention of the clause. The only reason for our proposals is clarification—the amendments do not change policy or the meaning of the clause, but are necessary clarification of the Bill. The amendments address the structure and language in clause 2. Greater clarity is helpful to enhance the Bill’s transparency and to make it easier to understand.
Amendment made: 2, in clause 2, page 1, line 18, leave out from ‘with’ to end of line 21 and insert
‘a person who must satisfy requirements imposed under subsection (1), and
(b) provide that any requirement imposed under paragraph (a) may be treated as satisfied if a connected person has or had substantial ties with the United Kingdom.’.—(Angela E. Smith.)
Angela Smith (Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office; Basildon, Labour)
I beg to move amendment 3, in clause 2, page 2, line 11, leave out ‘(4)(b)’ and insert ‘(5)(b)’.
Jimmy Hood (Lanark & Hamilton East, Labour)
With this it will be convenient to discuss Government amendment 4.
Angela Smith (Minister of State (Third Sector), Cabinet Office; Basildon, Labour)
Amendment 3 corrects an inaccuracy and amendment 4 addresses a drafting inconsistency in the Bill. To help the Committee, the starred amendment would put an order in the Bill. I intend to move that on Report.
Andrew Dismore (Hendon, Labour)
It is important to look at clause 2, and it would be helpful to be more specific about the nature of the posts that will be reserved, with particular reference to the intelligence services and border control. The Bill does not quite do that at present, so my right hon. Friend the Minister will plug that gap when she tables her amendment on Report.