Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General – in the Senedd at 2:39 pm on 24 October 2018.
Thank you for that question. I would just like to echo the fact that I think that, in bringing that case to the Supreme Court, Unison, who I know she previously worked for, was doing a great public service, and it was clear that the introduction of those tribunal fees had the effect of suppressing great numbers of injustices and their ability to be resolved. So we have seen, since the decision, a very, very sharp increase in the number of complaints being brought forward. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, I think, have reported receiving about 700-plus extra complaints per week, which gives you a sense of the scale of the issue.
As a consequence of the introduction of the tribunal fees, the judicial capacity of the tribunal was diminished significantly. And what's happening now, as her question anticipated, is essentially a recruitment exercise in order for tribunal judges, both in England and in Wales, to come on board to deal with that backlog and future workload. So, I'm pleased that that is happening. It's obviously essential to have a fully functioning tribunal system that is properly staffed in order for those cases to be heard.
I'd like to also welcome the fact that the president of the employment tribunal is looking for applications from those who have not got conventional judicial experience. I think that has the potential to open up new avenues for recruitment to that role, and by doing so, may increase the diversity of the tribunal judiciary, which I think is an objective that we would all wish to see fulfilled.