London County Courts (Hansard, 16 February 1994)

§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)
My Lords, during the year ended 31st December 1993 the 13 London county courts issued 260,000 cases and 89,000 warrants. During the same period the courts recorded 3,064 complaints, of which 1,393 were referred to the courts administrator. During the first half of the year the new Central London County Court received 1,040 complaints, but only 436 in the second half. That downward trend is continuing.

§ Lord Boyd-Carpenter
My Lords, I thank my noble and learned friend for that reply. However, is he 202 satisfied that this matter is now under control and that the number of causes for complaint will continue to diminish?

§ The Lord Chancellor
My Lords, it would be wrong to be satisfied, but I believe that considerable improvements have taken place. Two factors affected the level of complaints this year. First, the Courts Charter indicating how complaints could be made was issued at the beginning of the year; secondly, two large county courts in the centre of London were amalgamated to give the new Central London County Court. Carrying out an amalgamation of that kind while business was still being conducted imposed severe strains. I believe that now that matters are settling down improvements will continue.

§ Lord Irvine of Lairg
My Lords, does the noble and learned Lord give a high priority to the quality of service provided by the county courts, not least because the majority of civil cases are litigated there? Is he satisfied that sufficient resources have been available to the county courts, in line with the undertakings given to this House during the passage of the Courts and Legal Services Act, to ensure that they can deal effectively with their increased workload as well as to ensure that their staff are properly trained? Can the noble and learned Lord also inform the House whether he is contemplating appointing additional circuit judges not only to deal with the existing jurisdiction limited to £ 1,000 in small claims cases, but also to make feasible a significant uplift on that limited monetary jurisdiction?

§ The Lord Chancellor
My Lords, I certainly attach very high importance to the standard of service given in the county courts. I have already indicated the improvements that have been made in the service in central London. One of the factors which shows the improvement is the very much shorter length of time one has to wait for a trial in the county court than was the case in the past. On the noble Lord's second point, the arbitration jurisdiction is a jurisdiction of district judges. I shall certainly take into account the availability of district judges in considering whether any extension of that jurisdiction should take place. There has been quite a substantial increase in the total establishment of circuit judges and district judges over the past few years.

§ Lord Ackner
My Lords, is my noble and learned friend aware that a recent report of a joint working party of the Bar Council and the Law Society stated that the principal problems facing London county courts are inadequate staff training, insufficient technology and unsophisticated filing systems, the organisation being described by a London county court judge as a "cottage industry"? It advised that, as the Lord Chancellor has decided to turn the county court service into an executive agency, Before this melting pot of change has solidified into whatever shape it may take", it is vital that there should be an appraisal by independent management consultants of a number of 203 aspects of the system to ensure that the courts are appropriately' resourced and are run in the most efficient way.

§ The Lord Chancellor
My Lords, I am aware of the recent report to which my noble and learned friend referred. I should have thought that cottage industries have some very good features. In so far as the county court service has those features, I am glad to applaud them in that respect. We are seeking to modernise the systems used in the county courts. We have made quite substantial strides in recent years in that respect and we continue to do so. I am hoping that a comprehensive computer system called the Local County Courts System will be in operation towards the end of this year. So far as concerns the filing system, it will have an effect in improving that. As much as possible we are seeking to use modern technology in the county courts. So far as concerns training, there is always scope for improvement. But quite substantial improvements in training have taken place over recent years. Another contributory factor in that improvement is the fact that the turnover of staff is much less than it was.

§ Lord Ezra.
My Lords, is the noble and learned Lord aware that recently there was a television programme which was highly critical of procedure at the county court? It gave the impression that when contestants are called to sessions of that court it is a matter of pure chance as to whether or not their case is actually heard. It certainly left me with the feeling that that would be the last place I would want to go if I had any case to put forward.

§ The Lord Chancellor
My Lords, it is always possible to give an impression. My general impression is that the standard of service in the county courts is very good. If the noble Lord should by any chance have a dispute that he wishes to resolve, I believe that he will have it resolved in the county court to his satisfaction, and probably more cheaply than in most competing tribunals.