Prospect members have voted overwhelmingly to condemn the twin trends of deregulation and outsourcing.

They have also called for a new approach focused on high standards and keeping services in house.

The initial motion on deregulation was moved on Monday afternoon by members from the Health and Safety Executive branch.

Members recounted their experience of the government’s deregulatory agenda that is too narrowly focused on cutting costs and does not take into account wider considerations of social value.

This point was echoed by Aaron Curtis from the National Air Traffic Officers who argued that too often businesses see regulation as red tape, instead of recognising it as a critical safety function, and that too many businesses were marking their own homework.

As Aaron pointed out, if you are sending people thousands of feet in the air in a metal tube it is essential that the proper regulation is in place. He said that Prospect is well placed to make this argument because it is well represented in both the regulators and the industries they regulate.

The motion was supported by the NEC, with the argument made that Brexit will mean more and more regulatory areas being brought back into government control, meaning it is essential there is a proper national debate about the future of regulation.

The debate on deregulation was followed by a trio of motions focused on the problems associated with increased outsourcing of services. The debate followed a similar pattern, with Marja Astrid from the British Library, John Haywood of Air Traffic Systems Specialists and Ruth Hollands of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh all pointing to the range of damaging consequences of outsourcing, such as lower wages and a race to the bottom on terms and conditions.

Simon Finney from the MOD Navy supported the motion arguing that outsourcing did not benefit the taxpayer either, and results in work being done at higher cost with lower standards. After a short debate on remission of one of the motions, all were passed overwhelmingly, committing Prospect to step up campaigning work against deregulation and outsourcing.