HC Deb 14 June 1994 vol 244 cc407-8W
Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many chairs of industrial tribunals are currently employed; and at what total cost per annum.

Miss Widdecombe

Chairmen of industrial tribunals may be either full time—that is, salaried—or part time—paid on a sessional basis. The numbers of chairmen in post at 31 March and the estimated costs for the 12 months up to that date were as follows:

Full-time chairmen Part-time chairmen
Numbers 84 199
Cost £4,961,076 £2,122,531

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment from which organisations the lay members of industrial tribunals are selected.

Miss Widdecombe

In accordance with the legislation governing the industrial tribunals, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State appoints the lay members after consultation with a number of bodies representing employers and employees. In the last appointment round the following organisations were consulted:

Employer Bodies:

  • Association of British Chambers of Commerce
  • Confederation of British Industry
  • Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
  • Department of Health (in respect of NHS Management)
  • Federation of Small Businesses
  • Institute of Directors
  • 408
  • Local Government Management Board
  • National Chamber of Trade
  • British Retail Consortium

Employee Bodies:

  • Council of Managerial and Professional Staffs
  • Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and Plumbing Union
  • Federation of Managerial, Professional and General Associations
  • Royal College of Midwives
  • Royal College of Nursing
  • Trades Union Congress
  • Union of Democratic Mineworkers

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average length of time for which industrial tribunal hearing rooms are occupied each day.

Miss Widdecombe

The average length of a sitting day for the industrial tribunals, England and Wales, for the 12 months ended 31 March was 3.83 hours. To this must be added around half an hour preparing for the hearing and discussing the decision. These figures take no account of time spent on related interlocutory work and drafting and checking the tribunal's decision. I regret that figures are not available for the industrial tribunals, Scotland.

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the chairs of industrial tribunals are(a) women and (b) from the ethnic minorities.

Miss Widdecombe

The figures are as follows:

Per cent.
Full-time chairmen Part-time chairmen
Women 14.3 6.8
Ethnic minorities 3.6 1.6

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what sums are required from applicants to industrial tribunals by way of a deposit; and in what circumstances any such deposit will not be returned.

Miss Widdecombe

Applicants, or respondents, may be ordered to pay a deposit of up to £150 as a condition of proceeding with their case where at a pre-hearing review the industrial tribunal considers that they have no reasonable prospect of success. The deposit is only forfeited, in full or in part, if parties lose their case at full hearing and have costs awarded against them. In that case the deposit goes towards payment of the costs.

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average daily, weekly, monthly or annual fee of a chairperson of an industrial tribunal.

Miss Widdecombe

The figures as at 31 March are as follows:

£
Regional chairmen (annual salary) 65,912
Full-time chairmen (annual salary) 54,035
Part-time chairmen (daily fee) 246