Trade Union Bill – Committee Stage Report

The Trade Union Bill 2015-16 received its Second Reading on 14 September 2015.  A detailed briefing published prior to the Second Reading debate is available on the Parliament website, here.

The Bill was debated in Committee between 13 and 27 October 2015, across ten sittings.  During the first to fourth sittings the Committee examined evidence.  The official record of the various stages of the Bill is set out on the Parliament website, here.

The Committee comprised Conservative, Labour and Scottish National Party (SNP) Members.  Conservative Members voted with the Government on the Bill; Labour and SNP Members opposed every clause.

Only one substantial amendment was made during the Bill’s Committee stage: a clause on the prohibition of check-off in the public sector.  This is now clause 14 of the Bill.  Beyond that, there were minor technical amendments tabled by the Government and agreed to without division.

The Bill, as originally introduced, is available here; the Bill as amended following the Committee debate is here. 

This paper summarises the Committee debate, following a short summary of debate during Second Reading.