Industrial Tribunals (Hansard, 11 June 1996)

§ Mr. Ian McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what safeguards are applied by his Department to ensure diversity of ethnic origin in the appointments to lay membership of industrial tribunals. [32026]

Mr. John M. Taylor
In making appointments, the Secretary of State is required to consult organisations representative of employers and employees. In the 1995 appointments exercise, as previously, such organisations were notified of the criteria for appointment and asked to encourage applications from the ethnic minorities. The Commission for Racial Equality was also asked to propose names for the organisations consulted to consider. The percentage of ethnic minority lay members rose to 4.6 per cent. after the 1995 appointments round, from 4.1 per cent. previously.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown of those people who applied for, but were not appointed to, lay membership of industrial tribunals in the 1995 round of appointments, by nominating body. [32023]

Mr. Taylor
The breakdown is as follows:

Bodies Numbers

Association of British Chambers of Commerce 78

Confederation of British Industry 236

Convention of Scottish Local Authorities 4

NHS Management Executive 85

Engineering Employers Federation 56

Federation of Small Businesses 20

Forum of Private Business 21

Association of Independent Businesses 0

Institute of Directors 18

Local Government Management Board 52

British Retail Consortium 30

Employers Forum on Disability 4

Union of Independent Companies 5

Institute of Personnel and Development 32

Council of Managerial and Professional Staffs 26

Association of Teachers and Lecturers 33

Federation of Managerial, Professional and General Associations 37

Royal College of Midwives 1

Royal College of Nursing 3

Trades Union Congress 609

National League of the Blind and Disabled 15

Union of Democratic Mineworkers 5

Total 1,370

In addition, there were 59 unsuccessful applications by temporary London, North members who had been nominated in 1992 by the following bodies:

Bodies Numbers

Association of British Chambers of Commerce 6

Confederation of British Industry 10

NHS Management Executive 2

Institute of Directors 1

Local Government Management Board 3

British Retail Consortium 1

Council of Managerial and Professional Staffs 1

Federation of Managerial, Professional and General Associations 1

Trades Union Congress 34

Total 59

80W

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people who were nominated by the local government management board and who served as temporary lay members of the London, North industrial tribunal between 14 November 1994 and 24 October 1995 have been subsequently re-appointed. [32019]

Mr. Taylor
One.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people applied to become lay members of industrial tribunals in the 1995 round of appointments. [32021]

Mr. Taylor
In the 1995 round of appointments, 2,087 people applied to become lay members of industrial tribunals.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people were appointed to lay membership of industrial tribunals in the 1995 round of appointments. [32022]

Mr. Taylor
In the 1995 round of appointments, 658 people were appointed to lay membership of industrial tribunals.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown of those people who applied for, but were not appointed to, lay membership of industrial tribunals in the 1995 round of appointments, by ethnic origin. [32025]

Mr. Taylor
The information is not readily available at the moment, but I will write to the hon. Member when it is.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown of those people who were appointed to lay membership of industrial tribunals in the 1995 round of appointments, by ethnic origin. [32024]

Mr. Taylor
The information is as follows:

Ethnic group (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Classification) of industrial tribunals lay membership—October 1995

Ethnic group Number Per cent. of total membership

White 2,362 94.6

West Indian 33 1.32

Indian 43 1.72

Pakistani 10 0.4

Bangladeshi 4 0.16

Chinese 2 0.08

African 4 0.16

Arab 0 0

Mixed 6 0.24

Other 12 0.48

Not Known 21 0.84

Total 2,497 100.00

Bodies	Numbers
Association of British Chambers of Commerce	78
Confederation of British Industry	236
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities	4
NHS Management Executive	85
Engineering Employers Federation	56
Federation of Small Businesses	20
Forum of Private Business	21
Association of Independent Businesses	0
Institute of Directors	18
Local Government Management Board	52
British Retail Consortium	30
Employers Forum on Disability	4
Union of Independent Companies	5
Institute of Personnel and Development	32
Council of Managerial and Professional Staffs	26
Association of Teachers and Lecturers	33
Federation of Managerial, Professional and General Associations	37
Royal College of Midwives	1
Royal College of Nursing	3
Trades Union Congress	609
National League of the Blind and Disabled	15
Union of Democratic Mineworkers	5
Total	1,370

Ethnic group (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Classification) of industrial tribunals lay membership—October 1995
Ethnic group	Number	Per cent. of total membership
White	2,362	94.6
West Indian	33	1.32
Indian	43	1.72
Pakistani	10	0.4
Bangladeshi	4	0.16
Chinese	2	0.08
African	4	0.16
Arab	0	0
Mixed	6	0.24
Other	12	0.48
Not Known	21	0.84
Total	2,497	100.00