Employment Tribunals Act 1996

[F1 10 National security. E+W+S

(1) If on a complaint under—

[F2 (a) section 145A, 145B or 146 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (inducements and detriments in respect of trade union membership etc.),]

(b) section 111 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (unfair dismissal),[F3 , F4 ...

(c) regulation 9 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 (detriment connected with prohibited list)] [F5 or

(d) regulation 4 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment – Protected Disclosure) Regulations 2018 (complaint to employment tribunal),]

it is shown that the action complained of was taken for the purpose of safeguarding national security, the employment tribunal shall dismiss the complaint.

(2) Employment tribunal procedure regulations may make provision about the composition of the tribunal (including provision disapplying or modifying section 4) for the purposes of proceedings in relation to which—

(a) a direction is given under subsection (3), or

(b) an order is made under subsection (4).

(3) A direction may be given under this subsection by a Minister of the Crown if—

(a) it relates to particular Crown employment proceedings, and

(b) the Minister considers it expedient in the interests of national security.

(4) An order may be made under this subsection by the President or a Regional [F6 Employment Judge ] in relation to particular proceedings if he considers it expedient in the interests of national security.

(5) Employment tribunal procedure regulations may make provision enabling a Minister of the Crown, if he considers it expedient in the interests of national security—

(a) to direct a tribunal to sit in private for all or part of particular Crown employment proceedings;

(b) to direct a tribunal to exclude the applicant from all or part of particular Crown employment proceedings;

(c) to direct a tribunal to exclude the applicant’s representatives from all or part of particular Crown employment proceedings; or

(d) to direct a tribunal to take steps to conceal the identity of a particular witness in particular Crown employment proceedings;

(e) to direct a tribunal to take steps to keep secret all or part of the reasons for its decision in particular Crown employment proceedings.

[F7 (6) Employment tribunal procedure regulations may enable a tribunal, if it considers it expedient in the interests of national security, to do in relation to particular proceedings before it anything of a kind which, by virtue of subsection (5), employment tribunal procedure regulations may enable a Minister of the Crown to direct a tribunal to do in relation to particular Crown employment proceedings.]

(7) In relation to cases where a person has been excluded by virtue of subsection (5)(b) or (c) or (6), employment tribunal procedure regulations may make provision—

(a) for the appointment by the Attorney General, or by the Advocate General for Scotland, of a person to represent the interests of the applicant;

(b) about the publication and registration of reasons for the tribunal’s decision;

(c) permitting an excluded person to make a statement to the tribunal before the commencement of the proceedings, or the part of the proceedings, from which he is excluded.

(8) Proceedings are Crown employment proceedings for the purposes of this section if the employment to which the complaint relates—

(a) is Crown employment, or

(b) is connected with the performance of functions on behalf of the Crown.

(9) The reference in subsection (4) to the President or a Regional Chairman is to a person appointed in accordance with regulations under section 1(1) as—

(a) a Regional Chairman,

(b) President of the Employment Tribunals (England and Wales), or

(c) President of the Employment Tribunals (Scotland).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 10, 10A, 10B substituted (16.7.2001) for s. 10 by 1999 c. 26, ss. 41, 45, Sch. 8 para. 3; S.I. 2001/1187, art. 3(b), Sch. (as amended by S.I. 2001/1461, art. 2(2))

F2 S. 10(1)(a) substituted (1.10.2004) by Employment Relations Act 2004 (c. 24), ss. 57(1), 59, Sch. 1 para. 24; S.I. 2004/2566, art. 3(b) (subject to arts. 4-8)

F3 S. 10(1)(c) and word inserted (2.3.2010) by The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/493), regs. 1(b), 17(2)(b)

F4 Word in s. 10(1)(b) omitted (23.5.2018) by virtue of The Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment Protected Disclosure) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/579), regs. 1(2), 10(2)(a)

F5 S. 10(1)(d) and word inserted (23.5.2018) by The Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment Protected Disclosure) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/579), regs. 1(2), 10(2)(b)

F6 Words in s. 10(4) substituted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 14 para. 13(3); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(g)

F7 S. 10(6) substituted (31.12.2004) by Employment Relations Act 2004 (c. 24), ss. 36, 59; S.I. 2004/3342, art. 4(a) (subject to arts. 5-12)