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Proceeding contribution from Oliver Heald (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Monday, 5 March 2007. It occurred during Debate on bill on Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL].


Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [Lords]

I do not know how many would share the Minister’s blind confidence. On the user-friendliness of tribunals, which the Minister mentioned, Sir Andrew Leggatt explicitly emphasised that tribunals exist for users, and should be as accessible as possible, unthreatening, relatively informal and consumer-friendly environments. Most tribunal members are good at relating to and dealing with the people who come before them. As the Minister knows, I practised in the then industrial, now employment, tribunals for many years. There was pride in the fact that the tribunal was not legalistic and its members were from and understood the workplace, and were often referred to as an industrial jury. One issue that concerns us is that the legally qualified members of tribunals are now to be called judges. Will the Minister explain that? The term ““judge”” is associated with courts, and is not the sort of title or standing that one associates with a tribunal, in which the person who fills that role has always been described as the chairman.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
457 c1315 
Session
2006-07
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Consumers Administration of justice Bankruptcy Cultural heritage Credit Debt collection Fees and charges Enforcement Legal aid scheme Eligibility Judiciary Exemptions Harassment Powers of entry Public appointments Museums and galleries Property Proof of identity Tribunals Training Regulation Sequestration of assets Security Industry Authority
Legislation
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill (HL) 2006-07
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk