Outworking Bill — 2 Feb 2001

Order for Second Reading read.

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

I am grateful for the opportunity to present the Bill to the House and for the backing given by many hon. Members on both sides of the Chamber. The Bill has the support of the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells), my hon. Friends the Members for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Hamilton) and for Basildon (Angela Smith), the hon. Member for Worthing, West (Mr. Bottomley), my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King), the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler), my hon. Friends the Members for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) and for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber), the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess), my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy), the right hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) and my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney). Many other hon. Members have written and spoken to me to express their backing, and I am pleased that the Bill has cross-party support.

That is not the impression that we have been given by the speeches that we have heard so far--quite the opposite. In other words, most of the people who are involved in that rapidly growing and vital employment sector are themselves intelligent, educated people who want to take advantage of homeworking, teleworking, outworking or whatever we want to call it.

There is a huge grey area.

Question put, That the Bill be now read a Second time:--

The House divided: Ayes 34, Noes 0.

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