§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations have been or will be consulted in drawing up the terms of reference for research to assess the degree of consistency between tribunals in various parts of the UK as reported in the Government response to the review of anti-discrimination legislation conducted by the Better Regulation Task Force; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the project has expert advice on potential solutions in the field of information technology. [93529]
§ Mr. Alan JohnsonI propose to consult widely on the planned research project into the operation of tribunals which, as indicated in the Government's response to the Better Regulation Task Force Report, is likely to provide information on the consistency of employment tribunal decision-making. The exact terms of reference of the project are not yet determined. Given their interest, anti-discrimination bodies, the Equal Opportunities Commission and others will all be included in that consultation. Expert advice on the use of information and communication technologies in this project will be commissioned as necessary.