ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR WORKERS, JOB APPLICANTS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINEES

Early day motion 216, tabled 25 May 2005 by Marsha Singh (Labour). Signed by 52 members.

That this House is committed to eradicating unlawful discrimination against workers, job applicants and vocational trainees and ensuring that there is access to justice and equality of arms in cases of unlawful discrimination; notes that discrimination law is complex and that access to legal representation is a significant advantage in tribunal proceedings; notes with concern that in the current financial year the Commission for Racial Equality is devoting only two per cent. of its budget to representing complainants in employment discrimination cases and that the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission are only devoting 3.1 per cent. and 5.5 per cent. of their respective budgets; further notes that the 2001 Employment Tribunal Regulations increased the amount of costs that can be awarded from £500 to £10,000 and made it easier for tribunals to award such costs; believes that the threat of such costs will inevitably deter workers, job applicants and vocational trainees from enforcing their legal right to equal treatment, particularly those who are non-unionised and low paid, thereby effectively denying them access to justice; and calls on the Government to make complainant aid a statutory right in discrimination cases and to establish an independent statutory fund for such complainant aid to be resourced by using 25 per cent. of the current budgets of the existing equalities commissions.

Signatures by party: Labour 43, Liberal Democrat 5, Plaid Cymru 2, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.