May 05 – Minister Costa On UK Employment Tribunal Visit
The Minister for Business and Employment, Neil Costa, has just returned from the UK on a visit to familiarise himself with the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal processes in the UK. The Minister was accompanied by Mr John Paul Fa, the Ministry’s Legal Counsel.
In line with its manifesto commitments, the Government is undertaking a wholesale review and substantive reform of the existing Industrial Tribunal dispute resolution and adjudication process. Soon after the re-allocation of Ministerial responsibilities in December of last year, Mr Costa progressed the review of the current employment tribunal system by launching a wide-ranging consultation, currently ongoing, with various representative groups and individuals. The bodies that have submitted written proposals to the Ministry include Unite the Union, the GGCA, the Bar Council and the Chamber of Commerce.
Whilst in the United Kingdom, Minister Costa and Mr Fa held meetings with the Hon Mr Justice Langstaff, President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal and Judge Elizabeth Potter, the London Regional Employment Judge from HM Courts & Tribunal Service. The respective Tribunal processes in the UK were discussed and the meetings allowed the Minister and Mr Fa to raise a wide range of legal and administrative issues in the context of the pending domestic reforms. The Minister and Mr Fa have had the privilege to learn at first hand about the main judicial and administrative processes from senior judges involved in the day-to-day management of Employment Tribunals and Appeal Tribunals in the UK. The party also took the opportunity to be shown the physical layout of the courtrooms and to learn of some of the duties carried out by the administrative support officers.
Commenting on the above, the Minister for Business and Employment, Neil Costa, said: ‘This visit has been informative and has certainly helped my Legal Counsel and I to better understand how the United Kingdom processes its many employment cases. We will certainly take note of everything we have learnt to make good use in the review and reform currently underway.’
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