To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications were made to United Kingdom industrial tribunals for each year since 1979; how many of those applications involved claims for equal pay for work of equal value; how many separate employers were involved in each year; how many employees were involved in each year; how many of those employees were women; and how many cases were successful.

The available information, which relates to Great Britain, is set out in the table. The number of employees is the same as the number of applications. I regret that figures for the number of separate employers and the number of women applicants are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The majority of applications disposed of do not reach an industrial tribunal hearing, being settled under the auspices of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service or withdrawn.