Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of employment tribunal waiting times on workers pursuing claims relating to discrimination.

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 recognise that prolonged waiting times can be challenging for all ET users and remain committed to ensuring the Employment Tribunal is fair, lawful, and accessible to all users. We are taking action to increase capacity, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times, including through maximising sitting days and recruiting more employment judges.