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Trying to kill the bill

31 August 2010

If an agreement cannot be reached with the unions concerning a new Compensation Scheme then the Government intends to change the law to cap redundancy and early retirement pay outs. The Unions are trying to stop this.

The legal method by which the Government wants to cap payments is through what is known as a money bill. This means that it does not have to go through the House if Lords. It is intended that this bill will amend the 1972 Superannuation Act.

Francis Maude, cabinet office minister, has asked John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, to approve the use of this money bill.

Civil Service unions in turn have written to Mr Bercow insisting that this procedure should not be approved, as money bills are not meant to be used to amend Acts as proposed.

If the Speaker accepts the unions’ case, the bill could be held up in the Lords, seriously disrupting the Government’s timetable to make staff cuts.

 

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