§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for taking forward the proposals contained in the Green Paper "Resolving Employment Rights Disputes: Options for Reform" [1275]
§ Mr. LangA large number of responses to the Green Paper was received and the Government have given careful consideration to all views submitted. Most of the Green Paper proposals were widely supported and accordingly the Government have decided to implement them.
The Government continue to believe that employment disputes should, where possible, be resolved in-house through employers' own procedures. However, they recognise the reservations expressed by many responding to the Green Paper that the proposal to require employees to attempt to resolve disputes with their employers before being able to make an application to an industrial tribunal might lead to increased delays and complexity in tribunal procedures, rather than alleviating them. The Government have decided not to take forward this proposal.
The Government also recognise the concerns voiced about the proposals to require chairmen to sit alone, without lay members, in certain cases and have decided not to introduce any such statutory requirement. However, the Government are minded to extend the existing discretion for chairmen to sit alone where they consider this appropriate for certain technical cases, such as the determination of entitlement to redundancy payments.
The Government believe that the remaining proposals will, when implemented, make a significant contribution to easing the burdens facing the industrial tribunals. Some of the proposals will be modified in the light of responses to the Green Paper, and where necessary further informal consultation will be carried out with interested parties. Detailed proposals will he brought forward when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has undertaken a separate review and is considering the implications of the responses for that jurisdiction.