ABSTRACT
The Law in Great Britain comes from three principal sources: legislation passed by Parliament or delegated legislation made by statutory authority; judicial decisions of the higher courts; and custom. It will be obvious that each of these plays a different part in legal development. Legislation is the most speedy and the most radical way of introducing new law or changing existing law. Until 1971 all litigation in labour matters in the United Kingdom went through the ordinary common law courts, or the national insurance and industrial tribunals, introduced in 1946 and 1963 respectively. Cases concerning contracts of employment disputes might even begin as low as the magistrates courts, but more often the lowest point in the structure was the County Court. The National Industrial Relations Court, which is equal in status to the divisions of the High Court, was established by the Industrial Relations Act 1971. The court may sit anywhere in the country.
