§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Employment in how many cases during 1973 applications to the Industrial Tribunal were submitted out of time; and in how many of these cases the applicant was represented or advised by a solicitor or trade union official.
§ Mr. BoothI regret the information sought is not available and could not be obtained without an undue amount of work, but the National Industrial Relations Court and industrial tribunals, when dealing with particular cases, have drawn attention to the difficulties which the present provision causes complainants. The Trade Union and Labour Relations Bill, as amended in the House of Commons, therefore provides for an extension of the time limit to three months but the tribunal will be able to consider a complaint thereafter if satisfied that it was not reasonably practicable for the complaint to be presented within that period.