Steve Darling MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for that reassurance. In the light of that, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion. Clause, by leave, withdrawn. New Clause 19 Consultation on trade union legislation “(1) The Secretary of State must initiate a consultation on— (a) the operation of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992; and (b) the effects on that operation of provisions contained in Part 4 of this Act. (2) The Secretary of State must lay before each House of Parliament, no sooner than eighteen weeks after the initiation referred to in subsection (1), a report on— (a) the outcome of that consultation, and (b) the Government’s proposals for changes to the legislation referred to in subsection (1).”— (Greg Smith.) This new clause requires the Secretary of State to undertake a consultation on the operation of trade union legislation, and see also Amendment 116. Brought up, and read the First time.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. When I became an MP, I never thought that I would be standing before a Committee talking about clause 4. However, this is not about public ownership but is actually about non-disclosure agreements. Non-disclosure agreements were originally about keeping trade secrets but, over recent years, they have proliferated and, sadly, have kept shameful secrets away from the public eye in situations where light needs to be cast to make sure that things are tackled. Sadly, I personally have been signed up to one of these agreements. I reassure the Committee that it was not a business in my constituency, but another one where I suffered a level of discrimination, and I had to sign an NDA. That did not allow me to cry foul on a certain issue that myself and my family suffered. As for the bigger picture of where NDAs have been used at an industrial level, one only has to look at Harrods and the stories that have come up around sexual harassment. Part of the Bill is about trying to tackle harassment and sexual harassment. New clause 4 strengthens the Bill by making sure that NDAs are exempt from this area. As I alluded to with Mohamed al-Fayed, these were used at an industrial level when people were at a very confused stage, and were very vulnerable. I ask the Minister to give serious consideration to incorporating the new clause in our proposals. This is a golden opportunity. We have already seen Ireland take this step. I encourage the Minister to embrace new clause 4.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I will just share with colleagues that this measure was part of the commitments in the Liberal Democrats’ fully costed manifesto. I thank the Minister for their reassurances. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion. Clause, by leave, withdrawn. New Clause 14 Kinship care leave “(1) The Employment Rights Act 1996 is amended as follows. (2) After section 80EE insert— ‘Chapter 5 Kinship care leave 80EF Kinship care leave (1) The Secretary of State must make regulations entitling an employee to be absent from work on leave under this section if the employee satisfies conditions specified in the regulations as to an eligible kinship care arrangement with a child. (2) The regulations must include provision for determining— (a) the extent of an employee’s entitlement to leave under this section in respect of a child; (b) when leave under this section may be taken. (3) Provision under subsection (2)(a) must secure that— (a) where only one employee is entitled to leave under this section in respect of a given child, the employee is entitled to at least 52 weeks’ leave; (b) where more than one employee is entitled to leave under this section in respect of the same child, those employees are entitled to share at least 52 weeks’ leave between them. (4) An employee is entitled to leave under this section only if the eligible kinship care arrangement is intended to last— (a) at least one year, and (b) until the child being cared for attains the age of 18. (5) For the purposes of this Chapter, ‘eligible kinship care arrangement’ means— (a) special guardianship, (b) a kinship child arrangement, (c) a private fostering arrangement, or (d) a private family arrangement, within the meaning given by section (Meaning of ‘kinship care’) of the Employment Rights Act 2024. (6) The regulations may make provision about how leave under this section is to be taken. (7) In this section— (a) “special guardianship”, “kinship child arrangement”, “private fostering arrangement” and “private family arrangement” have the same meanings as in section (Meaning of “kinship care”) of the Employment Rights Act 2024. (b) “week” means any period of seven days. 80EG Rights during and after kinship care leave (1) Regulations under section 80EF must provide— (a) that an employee who is absent on leave under that section is entitled, for such purposes and to such extent as the regulations may prescribe, to the benefit of the terms and conditions of employment which would have applied but for the absence, (b) that an employee who is absent on leave under that section is bound, for such purposes and to such extent as the regulations may prescribe, by obligations arising under those terms and conditions (except in so far as they are inconsistent with subsection (1) of that section), and (c) that an employee who is absent on leave under that section is entitled to return from leave to a job of a kind prescribed by regulations, subject to section 80EH. (2) The reference in subsection (1)(c) to absence on leave under section 80EF includes, where appropriate, a reference to a continuous period of absence attributable partly to leave under that section and partly to any one or more of the following— (a) maternity leave, (b) paternity leave, (c) adoption leave, (d) shared parental leave, (e) parental leave, (f) parental bereavement leave. (3) In subsection (1)(a), “terms and conditions of employment”— (a) includes matters connected with an employee’s employment whether or not they arise under the contract of employment, but (b) does not include terms and conditions about remuneration. (4) Regulations under section 80EF may specify matters which are, or are not, to be treated as remuneration for the purposes of this section. (5) Regulations under section 80EF may make provision, in relation to the right to return mentioned in subsection (1)(c), about— (a) seniority, pension rights and similar rights; (b) terms and conditions of employment on return. 80EH Special cases (1) Regulations under section 80EF may make provision about— (a) redundancy during or after a period of leave under that section, or (b) dismissal (other than by reason of redundancy) during a period of leave under that section. (2) Provision by virtue of subsection (1) may include— (a) provision requiring an employer to offer alternative employment; (b) provision for the consequences of failure to comply with the regulations (which may include provision for a dismissal to be treated as unfair for the purposes of Part 10). 80EI Chapter 5: supplemental (1) Regulations under section 80EF may— (a) make provision about notices to be given, evidence to be produced and other procedures to be followed by employees and employers; (b) make provision requiring employers or employees to keep records; (c) make provision for the consequences of failure to give notices, to produce evidence, to keep records or to comply with other procedural requirements; (d) make provision for the consequences of failure to act in accordance with a notice given by virtue of paragraph (a); (e) make special provision for cases where an employee has a right which corresponds to a right under section 80EF and which arises under the person’s contract of employment or otherwise; (f) make provision modifying the effect of Chapter 2 of Part 14 (calculation of a week’s pay) in relation to an employee who is or has been absent from work on leave under section 80EF; (g) make provision applying, modifying or excluding an enactment, in such circumstances as may be specified and subject to any conditions which may be specified, in relation to a person entitled to take leave under section 80EF; (h) make different provision for different cases or circumstances; (i) make consequential provision. (2) The cases or circumstances mentioned in subsection (1)(h) include— (a) more than one child being subject to the same eligible kinship care arrangement, and (b) a child being subject to an eligible kinship care arrangement on two or more separate occasions, and regulations may, in particular, make special provision regarding the applicability and extent of the entitlement to leave in such circumstances. (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for some or all of a period of kinship care leave to be paid.’”— (Steve Darling.) This new clause sets out an entitlement to kinship care leave. Brought up, and read the First time.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I am sure that my residents would be horrified that these proposals are seeing the light of day in the Committee. I am shocked that Conservative Members are putting them out there. I expected us just to pass on by them, but I want to make sure that it is on the record that the Liberal Democrats do not support these rather peculiar proposals, which have only seen the light of day thanks to a Conservative Member.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Munira Wilson) for assisting in tabling the new clause, which is about ensuring that we put the family at the heart of our society by doubling the rates of maternity, paternity, adoption, shared paternity and parental bereavement pay, which are really important when people are on leave. Sadly, a lot of men choose not to take up these opportunities. We will discuss later our proposals on kinship care and fostering, and this is all part of that bigger picture. By supporting families with these four proposals in the three key areas that they cover, we are putting family at the heart of our world. One only has to reflect on social care and children’s social care, and the significant cost where there is family breakdown, to see that the more the state can do to support families, the better. I would like to move on to kinship care, where there are real opportunities. I know that the all-party parliamentary group on kinship care has discussed these measures and sees this as a real opportunity for the Government to move positively to support kinship carers.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  That is fine. As I said, the new clause is about supporting the family, and I hope the Minister will give serious consideration to our proposals. Apologies for misunderstanding, Ms Vaz.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Twentieth sitting) · Hansard source

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  Apologies, Ms Vaz; I was somewhat premature on the previous item. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham, who has highlighted this matter and proposed this new clause on kinship care. The kinship care APPG discussed this proposal and was mostly in favour of it. The number of children in our United Kingdom who benefit from kinship care is 130,000—equivalent to the population of Colchester or Watford. That is three times more than the number of youngsters who benefit from fostering, which is where one imagines, and one would hope, most youngsters in need of support would get it. The new clause, by allowing additional leave, would allow greater flexibility to get those youngsters into the family, and would help families come to terms with, and settle into, kinship care. There are eye-watering costs in the care system. Some companies are making outrageous profits from family breakdown. I encourage Members to think about how we can reshape society to give more support. As somebody who has adopted myself, adoption and fostering are matters very close to my heart, and I would strongly welcome more opportunities for kinship care. Equally, new clause 45, which would provide for an additional week of unpaid leave for foster carers, is extremely important. We need to change the workplace so that it supports foster families and kinship care families, making sure that, the vast majority of the time, the best place for a child is within a loving family home—whatever shape or form that takes—rather than in a care home or similar place miles away from home. This collection of proposals would help to drive the agenda to change our culture in the UK and support young people in loving homes, with families.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Nineteeth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I welcome the clarity offered by the Government in the amendment.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Nineteeth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I echo the shadow Minister, who sits to my right—in more ways than one. Definitely, further clarity from the Minister would be welcome.

• 14 Jan 2025 · Adoptive Parents: Financial Support · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairwomanship, Ms Furniss. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) on securing this really important debate. I highlight to the Minister the adoption support fund; I would be grateful if he could talk about any long-term plans the Government may have to bake that into Government proposals, because currently it is a hand-to-mouth existence. A week after I got elected, a resident raised with me their concerns. I wrote to the Minister on this issue some months ago, but I wonder whether the Government’s thoughts on the matter have changed. I speak as somebody who was myself adopted into a very loving family in the 1970s, with Eric and Penny. Eric was self-employed. He was not a toolmaker; he was a lorry driver—a haulage contractor if we were trying to be social climbers. The reality is that it was a really loving family. Of course, as a self-employed haulage contractor, Eric would have benefited from the proposals we heard about from my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove. The world of adoption and fostering has changed massively. The babe in arms is often not what one gets through adoption or fostering, but children who have had complex, challenging lives and will try to test parents. I have a good friend in Torquay whose child tests him regularly. The child believes that daddy is a monster because his previous daddy was, sadly, a monster to him. It is really challenging for that adoptive family to face that. I also welcome the comments about Home for Good, which is a service that I brought in to Torbay when I was leader of the local authority. It looks at driving adoption through those with faith and using churches to support those with faith. There is a significant need out there. Even for purely cynical reasons, I encourage the Minister to reflect on how important it is to support self-employed people so that we enhance the pool, as one only needs to look at the cost of social care to councils up and down the country when a foster placement or adoption—as quite often fostering does turn into adoption—cannot be found. The private sector is sadly making significant profits from that. Although I am pleased that the Government are making progress in those areas, the best way to make progress is to look at places such as Leeds, which I visited once upon a time, and now also Torbay, becoming UNICEF child friendly communities. That will drive a positive culture of engagement and support for our young people throughout the United Kingdom. I hope that the Minister will look kindly on the proposals from my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I broadly welcome the way forward proposed in these clauses.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I welcome the further clarity that the amendments offer. Amendment 92 agreed to. Amendments made: 93, in clause 83, page 85, line 11, after “any” insert “other”. This amendment is consequential on amendment 92. Amendment 94, in clause 83, page 85, line 15, leave out subsection (5). This amendment is consequential on NS1. Amendment 95, in clause 83, page 85, line 24, leave out from beginning to “may” in line 26. This amendment is consequential on amendment 92. Amendment 96, in clause 83, page 86, line 3, at end insert— “(10) For further provision about warrants under this section, see section (Warrants) and Schedule (Warrants under Part 5: further provision).”— (Justin Madders .) This amendment is consequential on NC9 and NS1 Question proposed, That the clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. On behalf of my residents in Torbay, whether they are employers or workers, a strategy to know how the Government are looking to drive this agenda forward can only be welcomed.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I welcome the points made by the shadow Minister, and wait eagerly to hear from the Minister.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Eighteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is important that we hear from the Minister about getting the balance right and supporting people’s rights, while not being too invasive to businesses. I look forward to hearing from him.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I am concerned about the heavy weather that colleagues on the Opposition Benches are making of this. For me, this measure is about driving a positive culture in employment, and the board’s balance is entirely appropriate. I welcome the clause.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to work under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I broadly welcome the bringing together of powers under the fair work agency. I note that the Secretary of State is due to publish an annual report, but I am sure that businesses in Torbay would be interested to know where in the Bill the critical friend is to hold the Secretary of State to account and ensure that they are being light of foot and driving the agenda we all want to see in this area, so I would welcome the Minister’s sharing that.

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I know from my surgeries and casework in Torbay that discrimination is sadly alive and well. I ask the Minister to reflect on some of the evidence from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which talked about the provision leading to fragmentation and the possibility of some of its standard work falling between two stools. What reassurances can the Minister give that the good work will proceed appropriately either through the fair work agency, or in a partnership approach with the Equality and Human Rights Commission?

• 9 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Seventeenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I broadly welcome the proposals in the clauses, and I look forward to the Minister’s explanation of the issues outlined by the shadow Minister.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Sixteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I have some sympathy with the desire to understand the cost, but to me, the vast majority of the Government proposals before us today are about modernising the system appropriately. I am concerned that this afternoon we have seen the official Opposition one minute say that all in the garden is rosy and there is no need for equality, and the next flip over and catastrophise about the Government’s proposals. We need to get a firm hand on the tiller and see that the vast majority of these proposals simply entail modernisation. I welcome them.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Sixteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I strongly welcome this modernisation of approach. Question put and agreed to. Clause 53 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 54 Industrial action ballots: turnout and support thresholds Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Sixteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I am concerned that the hon. Gentleman is taking a Panglossian approach that all in the world is perfect. It is far from perfect, which is why I welcome large tracts of the Bill, as long as we are supporting employers on the journey.

• 7 Jan 2025 · Employment Rights Bill (Sixteenth sitting) · Hansard source

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  Happy new year, Sir Christopher. I have a small amount of sympathy with the shadow Minister—I understand the cost to business, so I welcome that element of the amendments—but I have great fears. One need only have listened to the radio this morning to have heard about the issues for McDonald’s workers that have not been sorted out. I accept that that is the private sector, and the amendments are about the public sector, but it demonstrates that if equalities issues are not taken seriously in the workplace, it can cause major harm to employees and to the culture of improvement that we need to see.