At Justice Questions yesterday Rob asked the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Chris Grayling) about local heroes at risk of being sued.
Rob asked: "What steps is he taking to tackle the perception that people taking voluntary action for the public good can run the risk of being sued for negligence."
He replied that: "We want people to feel able to take action for the public good without worrying about being sued if something goes wrong. We have therefore introduced the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill to provide reassurance that if that does happen the court will take full account of the context and the fact that they were acting for the benefit of society. [Interruption.] I hear the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr Slaughter) saying that it is rubbish, so he is opposed to clamping down on the health and safety culture and to backing our citizens. I would rather be where I stand than where he stands."
Rob said: "The Secretary of State is absolutely right. There is a growing perception that people risk being sued for things like clearing snow from their path, leading a school trip or helping in an emergency situation. I know he would agree that the Government should protect everyday heroes in our constituencies who get involved in such things.
"What further steps would help to address these important issues and the lack of common sense that people think takes place in the system at the moment?"
Chris Grayling said: "As the Bill moves through the House and on to the statute book, I hope every hon. Member will make their constituents aware of the change that we are pushing through.
But there is another important part of the Bill that my hon. Friend has not mentioned, which is the responsibility piece—the ability for us to provide a deterrent to an employee who tries it on in the face of a responsible employer who has done the right thing, when someone in their employment has done something stupid and still tries to sue.
As part of our long-term economic plan, I want to see those responsible employers protected against spurious claims, and that is what the Bill will do."