A PARLIAMENTARY move to improve employment rights of wedding, birth and death registrars has been launched by Bolton North-east MP Dr Brian Iddon.

Dr Iddon spoke in the House of Commons and told MPs that registration officers have no legal employer or right of appeal against unfair or constructive dismissal, even though they are appointed, accommodated, paid and have pensions provided by councils.

Introducing his Registration Service Bill, which proposed officers become employees of local authorities, he said the measure would not lead to redundancies or effect pay and conditions. He added that councils would not face an extra financial burden.

Dr Iddon said: "I have been Patron to the Society of Registration Officers in England and Wales since 1997, and since then I have been working with them to try to change the law to allow them greater rights.

"The Government has now recognised the need to change the law but it is very difficult to schedule the time in Parliament.

"Therefore I have been working with the Government to bring this Bill forward and I hope that it will be passed into law in the near future."

But the move has met some opposition. Former Tory minister, Eric Forth, who represents Bromley and Chislehurst, said he opposed the Bill because he had been contacted by a registration officer "expressing concern" about the speed the plans were progressing.

MPs should await the outcome of a Government consultation on modernising the service, he said.