Overview

This bill aims to legally allow young people to volunteer on heritage railways and tramways in the UK. Currently, existing employment laws might prevent this, even if the work is unpaid. This bill clarifies the law to permit such volunteering, under specific conditions.

Description

The Heritage Railways and Tramways (Voluntary Work) Bill amends existing employment legislation to explicitly permit young people to volunteer on heritage railways and tramways. The bill defines:

• Heritage railway/tramway: As defined in the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority for Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations 2006.
• Voluntary work: Unpaid work (except for travel and out-of-pocket expenses) benefiting the railway/tramway directly or indirectly benefiting the young person.
• Young person: A "child" as defined in the Education Act 1996, but must be at least 12 years old if the work directly benefits the railway/tramway and 10 years old if the benefit is primarily to the young person.

The bill ensures that nothing in existing employment laws prevents this type of volunteering. It applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and comes into effect upon passage.

Government Spending

This bill is not expected to have any significant impact on government spending. It clarifies existing legislation and does not introduce new funding requirements or programs.

Groups Affected

The bill primarily affects:

• Young people (aged 10-17): They will be able to volunteer on heritage railways and tramways, provided they meet the age criteria defined within the bill.
• Heritage railways and tramways: These organizations will benefit from access to a wider pool of volunteers.
• Relevant regulatory bodies: The bill will affect these bodies due to the clarity provided concerning employment of minors.

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