§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to permit employers to submit written testimony to industrial tribunals. [25304]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyParties already submit written representations for consideration by an industrial tribunal at a hearing. However the Government recognise that there may be occasions when parties may wish not to attend a hearing and would prefer that their case is dealt with on written evidence alone.
The Government are, therefore, supporting the Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Bill, a Private Peer's Bill, which was introduced in the House of Lords by the right hon. Lord Archer of Sandwell QC on 9 July 1997. This Bill will permit regulations to be made to allow a tribunal to determine cases on written evidence alone—that is, without a hearing—where both parties have given their consent.