Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to protect small businesses from vexatious claims by employees; and if he will make a statement.

The new Employment Tribunal rules of procedure, which implemented the recommendations of the Underhill Review, were implemented on 29 July 2013. These rules allow tribunals to identify weak or vexatious claims at an early stage through an initial sift and to manage them effectively through measures such as deposit orders. Greater flexibility to apply a deposit order to parts of a claim or response helps to manage the expectations of claimants as to the strength of their claim and encourage them to consider more carefully what parts of their claim they want to take forward.