| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 Mar 2010 : Column 829W—continued
The MOJ intranet was created in 2007 to meet the needs of the new Ministry of Justice. The new Ministry brought together a number of disparate bodies and the intranet was a key element in building the cohesion of the organisation.
The intranet is the main channel of communication for Ministry of Justice staff across the Department providing up-to-date information on corporate issues. It also provides a wide range of information and resources which make a major contribution to the efficient running of the Department and gives staff quick and easy access to many of the tools they need to do their jobs.
The intranet was redesigned and rebuilt in 2009. The new intranet provides quick and easier access to information therefore contributing to increased efficiency in the work of the Department. A more modern look and feel helps to bring the experience of using the intranet into line with the expectations of staff who use other online channels both at work and at home. The intranet provides a central focus for all staff, is able to be accessed across the organisation, and helps join up the Ministry and its staff.
Employment Tribunal Service
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many employment tribunal hearings were (a) scheduled and (b) completed at each centre in each of the last three years. [322019]
Bridget Prentice: The information in the following table shows the number of scheduled hearings in each employment tribunal office and the number of hearings that actually took place in those offices. In each case, the information covers each of the last three complete financial years. For the purposes of this question, the term 'hearing' includes case management discussions, pre-hearing reviews, merits hearings, review hearings and, where necessary, remedy hearings.
The listing of a case for hearing can often focus the minds of parties and representatives on the possibility of solutions other than a tribunal hearing. Many of the cases scheduled for hearing can, therefore, be settled or withdrawn prior to that hearing taking place. A number of cases will also have been postponed at the request of
parties or, occasionally, on the direction of an employment judge. In order to maximise the use of hearing rooms cases are listed (under the direction of a Judge) with the expectation that a proportion will withdraw.
| Office | Number of hearings | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements there are for the management of information technology at the Employment Tribunal Service; and for what reason the service has ceased to employ stenographers to transcribe proceedings. [322020]
Bridget Prentice: The Tribunals Service is responsible for administering the work of employment tribunals. Information technology services in respect of those tribunals are provided by a unit within the Ministry of Justice, MOJ ICT (Information Communications Technology), which itself contracts with specialist IT providers. The contracts in place specify levels of service to be delivered, including measures for both quality and timeliness.
Stenographers have never been employed by the Tribunals Service or, before its inception, the Employment Tribunals Service, to transcribe employment tribunal proceedings. Parties may, with the consent of the tribunal, use stenographers but the costs involved will be met by the parties.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |