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Written question asked by Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 July 2026. It was answered by Sarah Sackman (Labour) on Friday, 10 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Employment Tribunals Service: Standards

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of whether employment tribunal delays disproportionately affect (a) women, (b) disabled people, (c) ethnic minority workers and (d) other groups protected under the Equality Act 2010.

Answer

The Department is currently conducting an Access to Justice assessment of the Employment Tribunal which will include exploration of whether there are disproportionate waiting times experienced by those with protected characteristics. We expect to publish this by the end of March 2027.

We remain committed to ensuring the Employment Tribunal is fair, lawful, and accessible to all users. We recognise the significant pressure facing Employment Tribunals and are taking action to increase capacity, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times, including through maximising sitting days and recruiting more employment judges.

From October this year, the time limit for bringing most Employment Tribunal claims will increase from three months to six months. This will provide more time for claimants to gather evidence, seek advice and prepare their claim helping to improve access to justice for all Employment Tribunal users, including those protected under the Equality Act 2010.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
15211
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Equality Employment Tribunals Service Standards
Legislation
Equality Act 2010
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk