To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Employment Tribunals Service
Monday 15th September 2025

Asked by: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many additional judges and caseworks have been appointed to support employment tribunals in addressing the backlog of cases since July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

We are maintaining investment in the annual recruitment of about 1,000 judges and tribunal members across all jurisdictions. Annual recruitment requirements are determined by business need and judicial departures.

Since July 2024, 50 fee-paid Employment Judges (EJs) have been appointed, whilst 19 salaried EJs were appointed throughout 2024. Recruitment for up to 36 salaried EJs commenced in March 2025 and recruitment for 50 fee-paid EJs will commence in early 2026. As reported in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics, there were 165 salaried and 143 fee-paid EJs in post in England and Wales as of 1 April 2025.

Since July 2024, we have also appointed an additional 6 caseworkers (legal officers) to support Employment Tribunals. There are currently just over 32 FTE legal officers in post.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Sat 10 Sep 2022
Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

"My Lords, like many of your Lordships 1 was moved in ways I did not entirely expect by yesterday’s Front-Bench contributions and the contributions of many others, and by the fact that one of the words we have heard most frequently in connection with Her Majesty is “duty”. I have …..."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Feb 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill

"My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in this brief debate. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hollins, for her amendments, which would insert two new clauses concerning the introduction of codes of practice to underpin the Secretary of State’s approach to identifying physical and mental …..."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Nationality and Borders Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Blencathra for explaining the amendment, which in substance relates to the power conferred on the College of Policing to issue guidance about pre-charge bail. I recognise that my noble friend has made a wider point about the appropriateness of the College of …..."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, for raising this important matter. I acknowledge that there is considerable experience of the Food Standards Agency in your Lordships’ House. We support, in principle, the proposal to increase the investigative powers available to the National Food Crime Unit. …..."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, for setting out the case for the amendment and to all noble Lords who took part in this short debate. I wholly agree that the targeting, grooming and exploitation of children who are often the most vulnerable in our …..."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"My Lords, first, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Bach, for giving us a further opportunity to discuss the disqualification criteria for those wishing to be elected as police and crime commissioners and for joining the meeting yesterday when we discussed this issue online. I thank all noble Lords who …..."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"With regard to public confidence, I go back to what I said earlier: this was originally designed with cross-party support and with the assistance and advice of police chiefs...."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"I am sorry I forgot to answer the noble Lord’s specific question. The problem is that I do not have the terms of reference to hand so I cannot give him the assurance he seeks, but I will write to him...."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 12 Jan 2022
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

"I am afraid I do not know. It predates me, sorry...."
Lord Sharpe of Epsom - View Speech

View all Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill