Increasing Delay In Hearing Industrial Tribunal Cases

EDM number 102 in 1990-91, proposed by DN Campbell-Savours on 21/11/1990.

That this House notes the unacceptable backlog and worsening delays in hearing industrial tribunal and employment appeal tribunal cases; notes the Government's acceptance that industrial tribunals are intended as a 'speedy, inexpensive and informal way of resolving disputes', yet industrial tribunal cases, supposed to be heard within 12 weeks, may often be delayed for six or nine months; notes the Government's admission that the average waiting time for employment tribunal appeals is 13 months; further notes that in the face of an acknowledged increasing number of applications to tribunals the Government has deliberately allocated insufficient funds to cover the cost of dealing with the forecast number of cases, and has actually embargoed the use of part-time tribunal chairmen; notes that the Regional Chairman of Southampton Industrial Tribunal recently wrote to lay colleagues that this would mean a 40 per cent reduction in the number of tribunal sittings locally and that, in spite of protests to the Department of Employment, no further funds were to be made available, and further that the regions had been instructed to prepare their financial plans for 1991-92 on projected figures which were 'obviously incorrect'; notes the Chairman's frustration that the regions are 'facing an increased caseload and are, in effect, being told that we cannot deal with it'; and calls on the Government to adequately fund industrial and employment appeal tribunals to meet the projected caseload and clear the disgraceful and increasing backlog.

This motion has been signed by a total of 48 MPs.