It is now obvious that the report-back of the Employment Relations Bill was delayed entirely to suit Labour Minister Margaret Wilson, National Employment Relations spokesperson Max Bradford said today.

"Margaret Wilson plans a press conference at midday to 'announce' the cosmetic changes to the ERB. It's clear the Graham Kelly, as chairman of the select committee, has sat on the report-back to suit his Minister's wishes.

''All yesterday he misled the public and the select committee on the reasons for delaying the tabling of the report.

"This is an abuse of the independence of select committees. Other parties can have no faith in Labour's chairmanship of the select committee when it allows the executive to control its agenda like this.

"We were told the report-back had been delayed for printing reasons but we now learn that miraculously copies of the Bill have been available in bookshops all over the country since 9am this morning.

"The Government has cynically abused the select committee process so that Margaret Wilson, rather than the select committee could have first spin on the Bill," Mr Bradford said.

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