Senior President of Tribunals: Annual Report 2018

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The Senior President of Tribunals today published his 2018 Annual Report

This is the third report of the Senior President, Sir Ernest Ryder.

This year there will be two reports; this report contains the detailed material provided by each of the chambers and tribunals which deals with the many and varied aspects of ‘business as usual’ as it affects the unified tribunals and the employment tribunals. In July there will be a second report which focuses on the modernisation of the tribunals.

Most tribunals hear appeals by individuals against decisions of government bodies. Some tribunals also deal with disputes between individual parties, like workplace disputes in the employment tribunals.  The report covers this wide range of jurisdictions including immigration and asylum, employment, benefits and social entitlement, tax, special educational needs, mental health and information rights.

Notes to editors

The Senior President of Tribunals 2018 Annual Report is available on the judicial website:

  • Sir Ernest will not be available for interview

The report covers tribunals that comprise the unified structure created under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. This includes jurisdictions in Scotland and Northern Ireland that are part of UK-wide tribunals. The Employment Tribunals (Scotland) is a reserved tribunal and not devolved.

HMCTS administers a two-tier tribunal system: a First–tier Tribunal and an Upper Tribunal, both of which are split into Chambers. Each Chamber comprises similar jurisdictions or bring together similar types of generalist experts to hear appeals. The Employment Tribunals stand separately from this and appeals from these are to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

The Upper Tribunal primarily, but not exclusively, reviews and decides appeals arising from the First–tier Tribunal. Like the High Court, it is a superior court of record that has available to it the specialist judges of the senior tribunals judiciary, Judges of the High Court and the Court of Session.

This two-tier structure is headed by the Senior President, who stands independent of the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Lord President and the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.

For further information contact the Judicial Press Office, 020 7073 4852.