I am struck by the eight per cent increase in tribunal claims – topping 137,000 in 2006-07 when compared with 2005-06.

Most employment lawyers would agree that the statutory dispute resolution procedures are in part responsible for the increase.

At the end of last year a “root and branch review” was started by Michael Gibbins, who is a member of the wonderfully named Ministerial Challenge Panel, to consider options for simplifying dispute resolution. This review has already called for a radical overhaul. Meanwhile the courts continue to develop the law around the current statutory dispute resolution procedures.

The tribunal claims figures also help to shed light on how quickly people have understood their rights under the Age Discrimination Act and how many of them have decided to take action against their employer. In the first six months of the age discrimination legislation going live, almost 1,000 claims have been brought under the Act. Top claims have been equal pay and unfair dismissal.

So in my view I do not personally think that the statutory resolution procedures are wholly responsible for the increase. It is overly simplistic to blame the procedures when there have also been a substantial number of claims under the Equal Pay Act against local authorities.