Debate resumed from 6 February, on motion by Mr Robb:

That this bill be now read a second time.

upon which Mr Burke moved by way of amendment:

That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:“whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House is of the opinion that:

(1)

the Government has failed for more than six years to introduce sanctions for employers who employ unlawful non-citizens and individuals with work restrictions, despite a 1999 Government commissioned inquiry recommending it do so;

(2)

the bill fails to address the need for higher penalties for employers who are repeat offenders under the legislation; and

(3)

the legislation’s bar on employer culpability may be too low, the reference to ‘the person knows that, or is reckless as to whether, the worker is an unlawful non-citizen’ is sufficiently reserved that it may prove difficult to successfully bring sanctions against an employer”.

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