Slaughter: Improving courts’ effectiveness could help economic growth
The justice select committee has launched a new inquiry into the county court, “amid persistent concerns over capacity and resources”, after the previous one was cut short by the election.
The most recent data, for the third quarter of 2024, shows that the average time taken for small claims and multi/fast-track claims to go to trial was 50.7 weeks and 76.8 weeks respectively.
Though not quite as bad as the all-time highs recorded at the end of 2023, these measures are 19.6 and 15.9 weeks longer than in the last quarter before Covid.
In 2022, the committee – then under the chairmanship of Conservative Sir Bob Neill – issued a report on court capacity that urged the government to provide the “resources to ensure that the county court has the capacity to deal with cases in a timely fashion”.
It followed this up in with an inquiry into the county court, launched in October 2023, and took evidence about how it has “borne the brunt” of the failure of the court modernisation programme to deliver.
However, no report was issued because of last July’s election.
Now with Labour MP Andy Slaughter in the chair, it has returned to the issue following a recent visit to Central London County Court to witness firsthand the issues affecting civil justice.
Mr Slaughter, a barrister like Sir Bob, said: “Recurrent concerns around delays, resourcing and capacity have persisted for years, affecting the lives of all those who rely on a functioning county court to deliver timely justice.
“It’s right that the justice committee early in this Parliament examines in detail why these issues remain unresolved and takes evidence from those impacted…
“Improving the effectiveness of the county court could help with the government’s mission to strengthen economic growth, as we know that small businesses rely on the county court to resolve disputes.”
Among other things, the inquiry will look at the effect of delays, how the court engages with litigants in person, the condition of the county court estate, the use of technology and data, fees and costs, judicial capacity and what future reforms should be considered.
The committee has launched a call for written evidence through its website.
Matthew Maxwell Scott, executive director of the Association of Consumer Support Organisations – who gave evidence to the previous inquiry last year – said the decision was “hugely welcome”.
“Civil justice continues to be delayed and therefore denied for thousands, but with a new government there is an opportunity to turn things around…
“We hope the new committee will agree with us that we need fresh impetus from the latest civil justice minister, clear targets and expertise brought in from across the sector to work out how to get the delays down and confidence in the system back up.”
Meanwhile, the Administrative Justice Council (AJC) is calling for evidence on the impact of digital reform of tribunals on users and addressing disadvantage in the administrative justice system.
The AJC said it was particularly interested in hearing about examples of challenges faced by advisers or clients, any areas of best practice to help people through the system and suggestions for where improvements could be made to assist participants in the administrative justice system.
Would that the Justice Select Committee revived its pre-election investigation into the operational difficulties caused by YJCEA 1999 section 28 (pre-trial recorded cross-examination). The report was being prepared when the General Election was called.