Temporary and Agency Workers (Equal Treatment) Bill
“A Bill to provide for the protection of temporary and agency workers; to require the principle of equal treatment to be applied to temporary and agency workers; to make provision about the enforcement of rights of temporary and agency workers; and for connected purposes” (BD)
Though the debates were curiously reticent on the matter, it seems that temporary and agency workers have fewer rights in the workplace than full employees; this briefing from the Trades Union Congress seems to indicate (though I am by no means sure and would recommend that the reader check for themselves) that disparities in wage and holiday entitlements between ‘proper’ and agency workers doing the same job are fairly rife. This Bill would give agency workers the right not to be treated less favourably by anyone than a comparable direct worker (BD), a right that the Conservative Party argue that is already had (HA).
The Bill underwent its Second Reading, and has been sent to Committee, but no date has yet been given (HA).
Leasehold Reform Bill
“A Bill to amend the law relating to long leaseholders; to confer further powers on leaseholders; to make provision in relation to leaseholders in local council owned property and property owned by other social landlords; to confer powers on landlords to create sinking funds; to make requirements of landlords relating to the management of property; for conencted [sic] purposes” (BD)
To quote the Bill’s presenter, Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat, North Southwark & Bermondsey) , this is a Bill “to reform the law affecting people who have bought their properties from local authorities” (HA) – namely, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and Housing Act 1985 (BD). Not being particularly au fait with housing legislation myself, I can only quote some passages from the bill: amendment of “limitation of service charges: reasonableness” and “power to buy back a share of a property” for local authority landlords (BD).
The Bill’s Second Reading was adjourned until the 13th of June 2008 (BD).
Football Spectators and Sports Grounds Bill
“A Bill to amend the law relating to football banning orders and their enforcement; to confer further powers on the Football Licensing Authority and to amend its name; and for connected purposes” (BD)
This Bill would amend the Football Spectators Act 1989 to harmonise football bans across the United Kingdom: that is, spectators barred from attending matches by Anglo-Welsh courts would be unable to attend regulated football matches in Scotland or Northern Ireland (BD). It would also rename the Football Liscencing Authority to the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, and give it the authority to provide advice relating to safety at sports grounds (BD). Hence the name, I imagine.
The Bill was introduced for its First Reading and will undergo its Second Reading on the 25th of April 2008 (BD).
Climate Change (Sectoral Targets) Bill
“A Bill to set sectoral targets relating to energy generation and consumption; to make provision for the sectoral targets to be met; and for connected purposes” (BD)
This Bill would introduce more targets for energy efficiency, usage, and source (BD).
The Bill was scheduled for its Second Reading but dropped (HB).
Forces Widows’ Pensions (Equality of Treatment) Bill
“A Bill to provide for the equal treatment of Forces Widows’ pensions in respect of retirement from military service for the periods before 1973 and between 1973 and 2005; and for connected purposes” (BD)
The rules for Forces’ Widows pensions changed in 1973, for the benefit of the widows, but, curiously, the rule change only applied to the part of the pension earned for service on or after the 31st of March 1973 (BD). This Bill would apply the same rule to pensions earned before or after that date.
The Bill’s Second Reading was adjourned until the 17th of October 2008 (HB).
European Union (Amendment) Bill
“A Bill to make provision in connection with the Treaty of Lisbon Amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty Establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon on 13th December 2007″ (BD)
With the failing of the European Constitution after French and Dutch ‘no’ votes in 2005, the European Union was in a spot of bother. It was, to quote Europa, “[a] European Union of 27 members [...] operating with rules designed for an EU of 15″. Thus in 2007 the Reform Treaty was written and signed at Lisbon. The European Union (Amendment) Bill is the Bill that would ratify the Treaty of Lisbon so that it could enter in legal force in the United Kingdom.
Much of the debate on the Bill, currently being considered before the Committee of the Whole House, focuses on what is seen by the Conservative Party as Gordon Brown’s renegading on the Labour Party’s manifesto commitment to hold a referendum on the European Constitution – a number of senior European figures have said that the Treaty establishing a Constitution of Europe and the Treaty of Lisbon are fundamentally the same.
This week, the House debated the provisions of the Treaty as regards international development, effectiveness of EU institutions and EU decision-making, and climate change (HB).
Copyright in Sound Recordings and Performers’ Rights (Term Extension) Bill
“A Bill to extend the duration of copyright in sound recordings and of performers’ rights; and for connected purposes” (BD)
At present, under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the copyright on sound recordings extends to 50 years after they have made. Several senior figures in the world of music, among them Cliff Richard (BBC), have complained that this is unfair; this Bill would extend copyright periods to 95 years after the completion of the recording, by which time anyone who stood to lose out by it becoming public would presumably be dead.
The Bill was introduced for its First Reading and will undergo its Second Reading on the 7th of March 2008 (BD).
Small Print Bill
“A Bill to make requirements regarding the minimum size of print in certain documents, including those relating to advertising and contracts; and for connected purposes” (BD)
The fact that small print can contain highly devious terms and conditions is legendary; in his presentation of this Bill, Dr. Nick Palmer (Labour, Broxtowe) cites an offer from Expedia that entailed the customer paying £8 per month to the company in return for vouchers of non-specific value (HA). The Small Print Bill would introduce a minimum size for small print to ensure it could be read (although it may of course not be understood), and as such the Bill has support from Age Concern, Help the Aged and the Trading Standards Institute (HA). As a Bill introduced under the Ten Minute Rule, its fate is rather uncertain, but Dr. Palmer seems to have a plan to bring this up in the EU consumer protection directive (HA). We shall see how it goes.
The Bill was introduced for its First Reading and will undergo its Second Reading on the 14th of March 2008 (BD).
Tags: CC(ST), CSRPR(TE), EU(A), FSSG, FWP(ET), LR, SP, TAW(ET)
