In the three months to June 2014, a total of 3,792 single claims were brought, which was 70 per cent fewer cases than in the same period last year. The MoJ attributed the reduction to the introduction of fees in July 2013. It also states that the introduction of the early conciliation procedure from April this year has contributed to the fall in cases (page 8).

Justice minister, Shailesh Vara, argued that taxpayers should not have to pay for the ET Service, which costs £74m to run. In contrast, Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, in a speech to the TUC Congress last month, described the fees as a ‘barrier to workplace justice’ and pledged to abolish them if Labour returns to government after the general election.

UNISON, the trade union, challenged the introduction of the fees in judicial review proceedings on the ground of their discriminatory impact (see R (UNISON) v Lord Chancellor and Equality and Human Rights Commission (intervener) [2014] EWHC 218 (Admin), 7 February 2014; June 2014 Legal Action 4). In a Court of Appeal hearing on this case, which took place last month, the MoJ agreed that in the light of the latest figures a new hearing should take place as soon as possible.

Tribunals statistics quarterly: April to June 2014 is available at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352914/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-april-june-2014.pdf.