Angela calls for publication of tribunal fees review

Angela Crawley MP for Lanark and Hamilton East yesterday questioned the UK Government on the delay of a report on the effects of employment tribunal fees. 

The post-implementation review of tribunal fees was supposed to be published at the end of 2015, yet is still to see the light of day.

The review will consider the impact of tribunal fees which have been in place since July 2013.

Ms Crawley questioned Justice Minister Dominic Raab on the report – and called on him to scrap tribunal fees entirely.

In the House of Commons chamber, Ms Crawley asked:

“I received assurances from the Government that the post-implementation review of tribunal fees would be published last year.  

“Now we find ourselves six months beyond that deadline, and we are still waiting.

“Evidence suggests that tribunal fees do act as a barrier to justice and that they are compounding pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

“While we wait for the Government to get a move on, women continue to be discriminated against daily.”

Commenting, Angela said: “Unlawful maternity and pregnancy discrimination is now more common in workplaces across the UK than ever before, with 54,000 women forced out of the workplace every year.

“Workplace discrimination is a daily occurrence, and while employment tribunals are often the last resort, tribunal fees limit access to justice.

“When I questioned the Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Nicky Morgan, on the issue of tribunal fees in October last year, she pointed to the review which she said would be published before the end of the year.

“Six months on, we are still waiting, while the number of unresolved, unchallenged dismissals is rising.”