Clause 28 - Pre-hearing reviews
Employment Bill
10:00 am
Mr Alan Johnson (Minister of State (Employment and the Regions), Department of Trade and Industry; Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, Labour)
I am pleased that the hon. Gentleman recognises the value of clause 28. My hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Rob Marris) is right. It is an enlightening statistics that the number of deposits ordered last year before the £500 limit came into effect—we are therefore talking about the £150 deposit—was 234, of which 48 were paid. On being told that they could take the case forward but that there was a deposit of £150, the majority of other applicants did not make the deposit. That statistic does not suggest that there is a problem, now that the limit has been increased to £500.
The hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge raises the interesting question of whether in the new situation where we have the nuclear option, we should do something else with the deposit. That matter would best be considered by the employment tribunal system taskforce, where reference can be made to precedence, users, representatives of small businesses, the TUC, the CBI and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. We have asked the taskforce to look at the good operation of the procedures, including the effect of the new procedures. I do not think we need to explore that idea; it is on the record and the taskforce is best equipped to consider it.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 28 ordered to stand part of the Bill.