Explanatory Memorandum to Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Consultation

7. Full public consultation has taken place in Northern Ireland upon the Order in its draft form. The consultation process was based on the publication of four separate documents, three of these issued by the Department, and a further one by the Department in conjunction with the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (“OFMDFM”). These documents were as follows:

• ‘Routes to resolution: improving dispute resolution in Britain’, was put out to public consultation in Northern Ireland by the Department between 20^th September and 30^th November 2001.

• ‘Equal pay – proposals to simplify and speed up industrial tribunal cases / Burden of Proof Directive – implementation’ was issued for public consultation by OFMDFM and the Department between 20^th December 2000 and 28^th February 2001.

• ‘Statutory backing for trade union learning representatives: a consultation paper’ was put out to public consultation by the Department between 10^th January 2002 and 1^st March 2002.

• ‘Draft Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 2003: public consultation document’ was issued by the Department for public consultation between 9^th April and 30^th June 2003.

A clear majority of those consulted welcomed those provisions which have been included in the Order.