§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 5 July 2001 (WA 51), in respect of how many discrimination cases in employment tribunals has exceptional funding been granted; and what proportion of such funding has been granted for claimants alleging (a) sex discrimination, (b) race discrimination, (c) disability discrimination, and (d) other forms of discrimination, as the case may be. [HL685]
§ The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)Ministers can consider an application for exceptional funding under Section 6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999 only when the Legal Services Commission recommends it. The provision came into force in April 2000. In 2000 and 2001, no exceptional funding applications for employment tribunals were recommended. In 2002, the commission recommended funding one application, for disability discrimination, which was approved. In 2003, one application for alleged discrimination under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 was received, hut funding was refused, as alternative funding was available. A further three applications for exceptional funding for employment tribunals were recommended in 2003, which are currently being considered. One concerns allegations of sexual discrimination, one of racial discrimination and the other of disability discrimination.