(1) The Employment Tribunals Act 1996 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 7 (employment tribunal procedure regulations), after subsection (3ZA) insert -

"(3ZB) Provision in employment tribunal procedure regulations about postponement of hearings may include provision for limiting the number of relevant postponements available to a party to proceedings.

(3ZC) For the purposes of subsection (3ZB) -

(a) "relevant postponement", in relation to a party to proceedings, means the postponement of a hearing granted on the application of that party in -

(i) the proceedings, or

(ii) any other proceedings identified in accordance with the regulations, except in circumstances determined in accordance with the regulations, and

(b) "postponement" includes adjournment."

(3) In section 13 (costs and expenses), after subsection (2) insert -

"(3) Provision included in employment tribunal procedure regulations under subsection (1) must include provision for requiring an employment tribunal, in any proceedings in which a late postponement application has been granted, to consider whether to make an award against the party who made the application in respect of any costs or expenses connected with the postponement, except in circumstances specified in the regulations.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3) -