Diolch, Llywydd. I move amendment 1. This amendment refers to restrictions on the deduction of union subscriptions from wages by employers. The UK Government has modernised the relationship between trade unions and their members. [Interruption.] Oh, yes, they have. [Interruption.] This amendment aims to give public sector workers the opportunity to make their payments through direct debit, and discourages the blanket use of check-off. By moving to reduce the use of check-off, the UK Government has brought greater transparency to employees. This makes it easier for them to choose whether or not to pay subscriptions and which union to join—it’s called choice.

As the UK legislation stands, nurses, teachers and civil servants are prevented from automatically paying trade union subscriptions from their wages. However, this Welsh Labour Government’s Bill seeks to encourage and retain this practice, which is now thoroughly outdated and quite unnecessary.

Llywydd, in the twenty-first century, public resources should not be used to support the collection of trade union subscriptions. The collection—[Interruption.] The collection of subscriptions should be undertaken by the trade unions directly and, indeed, many across the UK have switched already, with Unite, GMB, the Public and Commercial Services Union, Fire Brigades Union, and the University and College Union all urging their members to switch to direct debit. Further, many employees are routinely misled on the terms of joining a trade union when doing so via check-off. For example, the absence of information about the optional political levy. By ending this practice and encouraging payment through direct debit, employers are not only guaranteed easier transparency and ease in terms of choosing whether or not to pay subscriptions, but they are able to enjoy the full protection of the direct debit guarantee, which includes advance notification of any changes to the direct debit, and the ability to cancel it at any time. I move.