HL Deb 30 October 2003 vol 654 cc58-9WA
Lord Wedderburn of Charlton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applications were made to industrial or employment tribunals in each of the years from 1972 to 2003; and what were the median amounts of compensation awarded in each year in each of the jurisdictions covering unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and race discrimination. [HL4997]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)

Please find attached a table which shows the number of tribunal applications registered by the Employment Tribunals Service in Great Britain in each of the years from 1973 to 2003. We are unable to provide statistics for 1972.

The second table provides a breakdown of the median amounts of compensation awarded for unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and race discrimination in each year from 1990 to 2003. Information prior to 1990 is not readily accessible and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

Year Registered Tribunal Applications
2002–03 98,617
2001–02 112,227
2000–01 130,408
1999–2000 103,935

Year Registered Tribunal Applications
1998–99 91,913
1997–98 80,435
1996–97 88,910
1995–96 108,827
1994–95 88,061
1993–94 71,661
1992–93 71,821
1991–92 67,448
1990–91 43,243
1989–90 34,697
1988–89 28,832
1987–88 31,414
1986–87 38,727
1985–86 35,964
1985¹ 36,468
1984 39,824
1983 39,939
1982 43,645
1981 44,831
1980 41,403
1979 41,221
1978 43,312
1977 46,968
1976 47,644
1975 35,915
1974 16,443
1973 14,472
¹ The information on the number of applications registered prior to 1985–86 is only available on a yearly basis.

Source: Employment Tribunals Service and Labour Market Trends/Employment Gazette.

Year Unfair Dismissal £ Sex Discrimination £ Race Discriminaion £
2002–03 3,225 5,000 7,942
2001–02 2,563 5,000 5,263
2000–01 2,744 5,499 8,012
1999–2000 2,515 2,180 2,378
1998–99 2,388 4,044 5,000
1997–98 2,422 2,869 4,555
1996–97¹ Not Available Not Available Not Available
1995–96 2,499 2,708 2,714
1994–95 3,289 5,700 2,750
1993–94 2,773 2,999 3,499
1992–93 2,616 1,416 3,333
1991–92 2,428 1,725 1,374
1990–91 1,773 1,142 1,749
¹ Due to changes in the Employment Tribunals Service computerised records in 1996, statistics for 1996–97 are not available.

Source: Employment Tribunals Service and Labour Market Trends.